AMD launches next-gen FirePro graphics card lineup
AMD has used the Siggraph 2012 exhibition in Los Angeles to launch four workstation-class graphics cards in its FirePro range. The new line of GPUs is aimed for users looking for high-end computational and graphics performance. At the top end of the spectrum are the FirePro W9000 and W8000 GPUs, which not only have the power to drive an incredible six 30-inch displays, but also the compute power to handle data-intensive applications such as computer-aided design (CAD), medical imaging, and digital content creation. The W9000 delivers a teraflop of double precision computation, and an incredible four teraflops for single precision computations. The cards see the debut of AMD’s Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture, which uses a 28nm process technology to cram on more processors than was possible previously. It enables AMD FirePro workstation graphics to fit up to 4.3 billion transistors into approximately the same space once needed to fit 2.6 billion.
The new GPUs specs are as follows (click for larger view):
W9000 monster card also offers 6GB of GDDR5 RAM and requires 274 watts of power. More humble members of the lineup include the W8000, which has the same form-factor as the higher-end W9000, but eases back on the specs, consuming 189 watts of power and carrying a $1,599 price tag. Below is a price-market line-up for the new cards:
| GPU | Target market | FLOPs | Memory | Price |
| FirePro W9000 | High-performance AD, media designers, signage | 4 TFLOPs single precision
1 TFLOPs single precision |
6GB GDDR5 | $3,999 |
| FirePro W8000 | High-performance CAD, media designers, signage | 3.23 TFLOPs single precision
806 GFLOPs double precision |
4GB GDDR5 | $1,599 |
| FirePro W7000 | Mid-range CAD, media designers, signage | 2.4 TFLOPs single precision
152 GFLOPs double precision |
4GB GDDR5 | $899 |
| FirePro W5000 | Mid-range CAD, media designers, signage | 1.27 TFLOPs single precision
80 GFLOPs double precision |
2GB GDDR5 | $599 |
Along with the W-series FirePro GPUs, AMD has also released two new APUs: FirePro A300 and A320.
AMD FirePro A300 series APUs are the first single-chip processors capable of delivering the workstation-class visual computing performance required for today’s advanced professional design workflows, said AMD. The introduction of AMD FirePro A300 series APUs offers OEMs and workstation integrators (WSIs) greater design flexibility, enabling new workstation designs that help save space, are energy efficient, and have low heat and noise levels without compromising true workstation-class performance and reliability. FirePro A300 series APUs offer support for horizontal display resolutions up to 10,240 x 1600 pixels.
| APU | TDP | Cores | CPU clock | Stream Processors | GPU clock | Unlocked |
| FirePro A300 | 65W | 4 | 4 GHz / 3.4GHz | 384 | 760 MHz | No |
| FirePro A320 | 100W | 4 | 4.2 GHz / 3.8 GHz | 384 | 800 MHz | Yes |
The AMD FirePro A300 series APUs will be available in systems from a number of workstation integrators starting in August 2012.
[via AMD]
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