Edward Chou, marketing director of ATI Technologies Asia-Pacific division, responded to earlier reports that its 80-nanometer (80nm) production has been delayed by saying that ATI has succeeded in completing trial production of its 80nm graphics chips. Chou estimates that ATI will start switching its complete graphics processing unit (GPU ) lineup to an 80nm manufacturing process at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) from September.
ATI is looking to adopt a 65nm production node next year, in an attempt to carry out better cost efficiency, according to Chou.
Sources at graphics card makers said that ATI would start migrating to a 80nm process first with its RV560, RV570, RV516 and RV505 chips. Chou declined to reveal which products would move over to the 80nm process this year.
The ATI RV560 and RV570 chips will feature the company's CrossFire dual-card graphics technology and will target the mainstream market, whereas the entry-level RV516 and RV505 will each feature a 128-bit memory interface, said the sources. In addition, ATI will also introduce the 64-bit RV505CE chip to compete with Nvidia's G73 series, the sources added.
The sources further indicated that ATI plans to release a transitional GPU, the R580+, prior to the R600 launch and that it would be available by the end of this year. Chou declined to comment on the year-end availability of ATI's high-end R600 chip, which is aimed to compete with the Nvidia G80.
Rival Nvidia, in response to ATI's earlier entry into 80nm production, stated that the company currently has no plans to migrate its GPU manufacturing to the 80nm node. Nvidia declined to comment on ATI's move and said that its manufacturing process technology roadmap and related strategies will be announced at the appropriate time.
Article translated by Jessie Shen and edited by Eric Mah
