The most exciting upcoming technologies

[Demigod]

Just a poll for hardware junkies. What do you think is the most exciting product in development and why? I've put some of the most ancitipated technologies in the poll, although you can choose whatever else technology you'd like.

I assume most people are going to choose the GeForceFX, what with all the hype surrounding it. It would be my choice as well, if only to see if it lives up to the hype.

[Gamer1]

I really think that the hammer is probably the most anticipated ever... but the hype died after constant delays...

The GeForce Fx is not that exiting... And i'm waiting for DDR 2 though... but not really.

Great if the GeForce FX is the latest and greatest thing... You don't see my getting hyped about the Intel 3G or the AMD 2800+. If i can't use it... and if can't afford it... big whoop. I'll get it later when its cheaper and when i'm actually gonna use the latest and greatest feature...

[Ninjaa]

I voted DDR2. I don't really care about the pissing contest between nVidia and ATI, except that nVidia got totally owned.

I don't know all those CPUs by name... so that left DDR2. DDR2 will kick ass anyways, and I know that I wouldn't mind seeing the stuff in my PC or in my video card.

Question for you though Demigod. Why haven't we seen any PC products using SRAM, ala GameCube yet? It would seem like a smart idea to me.

[Demigod]

Originally posted by Ninja
Question for you though Demigod. Why haven't we seen any PC products using SRAM, ala GameCube yet? It would seem like a smart idea to me.

SRAM is incredibly expensive and not very viable. DRAM is much cheaper to produce. I believe SRAM was used for processor cache back in the P3 Katmai and Athlon Classic days. Ever since Intel and AMD abandoned the cartridge format SRAM hasn't had much place in PCs.

Some explanations of the technologies:

Nvidia GeForceFX

Nvidia's next-generation GPU. It will be a DirectX 9 part utilizing DDR-II memory with a clock speed of over 500 Mhz, manufactured on TSMC's 0.13 micron process. Expected to be around 30-50% faster than the Radeon 9700 Pro. It is currently scheduled for a Q1 2003 release.

ATI R350 (Radeon 9900?)

ATI's upcoming GPU, which just taped out a week ago. Details are sketchy at this point. It is speculated to be a faster Radeon 9700 and is rumoured to be in response to Nvidia's upcoming GeForceFX GPU. It will be built on a 0.15 micron process as with the R300. Scheduled release date is unknown.

Intel Prescott

The codename for Intel's upcoming Pentium 4 core. The Prescott will be a HUGE upgrade for the Pentium 4 Northwood, manufactured on Intel's 0.09 micron process and consisting of over 100 million transistors. It'll also have a huge 1 MB L2 cache and will run on a 166/200 (667/800) Mhz FSB. Scheduled release date is Q2 of 2003.

Intel Springdale

The codename for Intel's upcoming Pentium 4 chipset. The Springdale will be released along with the Prescott and will be its ideal platform. The Springdale will feature dual-channel DDR333 support, offering a 5.4 GB/s bandwidth. It's ICH5 (I/O Controller Hub 5; Southbridge) will also have integrated Wi-Fi (wireless networking) support. Scheduled for Q2 2003.

AMD Barton

The codename for AMD's next (and possibly final) core upgrade for the Athlon XP. The Barton will feature 512 KB of L2 cache, double the amount on current Athlon XP Thoroughbreds. It'll also run on a 166 (333) Mhz FSB as with the newer Athlon XPs. The Barton is expected Q1 or 2003 and will spearhead AMD into 2003. It is expected to go up against Intel's Pentium 4 Northwood and the upcoming Prescott.

AMD Athlon-64 (Hammer)

The Athlon-64 is AMD's trump card for 2003. The first 64-bit CPU for the desktop market, the Athlon-64 is expected to be the successor to the Athlon XP. Specs are very sketchy. The only thing we're sure of is that it'll be a hybrid 32/64-bit processor, capable of running both 32-bit and 64-bit applications simultaneously. It's also expected to have 512 KB or even 1 MB of L2 cache and run on a high FSB (possibly 800 Mhz). It's rumoured to have a 12-stage pipeline and built on a 0.13 micron process and will carry a model number of 3200+ upon release. The Hammer is expected Q2 of 2003.

DDR-II

DDR-II is the successor to DDR memory. DDR-II will be able to run at a much higher speed than DDR and have different voltage settings. It'll allow more memory bandwidth for PCs than any of the current technologies available. DDR-II will be used on Nvidia's upcoming GeForeFX GPU. Release dates are, as of yet, unknown.

Microsoft Palladium

Microsoft's Palladium provides enhancements and new features for the Windows OS. It will not be a seperate OS itself. Palladium will create a more secure environment on a variety of levels. Palladium-enhanced hardware and software will have access to its features, although non-Palladium software will still run. Some of its features include cryptographically sealing data on hard drives as well as hardware and digital signaturing on networks. It'll also allow for more reliability for Palladium-enhanced CPU and memory.

[Sampah]

I vote for GeforceFX, but actually I also want to vote for ATI, however this forum won't let me do it. ATI and Nvidia has been fighting together for long time and I feel this is cool, just like two players were playing CS, they both don't want to lose, GeforceFX always create a fast furious Card with A bandwitdh more than ATI and ATI won't lose either, saying his Radeon can provide much greater bandwidth than FX, mayhaps if ATI or Nvidia, one of this company dare to cut the price of their best grahics card to $50, he will be the winner of this competion however they have to sell their companies after winning, is the same as lose I think

[Sera]

nothing. cause i know those upcoming technologies will be a pain in the pocket. and that means another upgrade.

[Sampah]

You can't do anything with it. that's technology, and it will always more advance and advance, and there's no way you can stop this improvement.

[TalkingANUS]

Yeah.. And its getting really annoying. A couple of weeks after upgrading your PC, something even better just comes out...

[Shiori]

A proggy that would translate japanese into perfect English.

Seriously though, it would be Serial ATA.

What Exactly Is Serial ATA?:

As opposed to the old Ultra/ATA 133 and the standards that came before it, Serial ATA (SATA) is obviously based on serial signaling technology. This means that those old IDE ribbon cables were used to send a parallel signal those forty wires were used to transfer data along many parallel routes. IDE is also known in retrospect as Parallel ATA (PATA). All these wires next to each other were sensitive to interference and caused all kinds of problems. Serial ATA signals are transferred at a more efficient voltage of 250mV compared to the 5V of Ultra/ATA and interference is cancelled out by two phase-reversed signals. It is unlikely that many more advancements could be made even if Parallel ATA were to still have an extended lifetime. In addition, Serial ATA is, obviously by name, a serial technology. It can only ¡Ètalk¡É to one device per channel. While this might seem like a step back from the two devices per channel allowed with Ultra/ATA, this is quickly offset by other plusses that will be described shortly.




Serial ATA vs. Parallel ATA Device Diagram

Hard drives are the primary bottlenecks in today¡Çs high-speed computers, and this is partially due to the limitations of PATA. Since Serial ATA is a completely new standard, there will be a industry wide move over to new hard drives, controllers, and connectors- essentially everything will move to Serial ATA.

Advantages of Serial ATA - Dreams can come True:
Naturally Serial ATA will be faster than Ultra/ATA, but the majority of advancements at first will be most useful from a practical standpoint. Anyone who has worked with computers knows what a pain those afore mentioned IDE ribbon cables can be. They are bulky, inflexible, fragile, and too short. This caused hard disks and optical drives to be placed in strange positions and resulted in many frustrated system builders. The width of those cables also blocked airflow and generally created a much more clumsy setup than necessary. With today¡Çs CPUs and GPUs pumping out so much heat; good airflow is essential to a stable system.

Just imagine. Soon those hated IDE cables will be banished forever. Hard to believe, but it is finally becoming a reality. A reality made possible trough Serial ATA. Serial ATA cables will be much, much thinner and infinitely more flexible. Since Serial ATA only requires seven wires per device, the new cables will only be 8mm wide. Another dimensional advantage is that while IDE cables could only be up to 40cm long, Serial ATA cables will be plenty long at 1m. Of course since the cables are smaller and contain only seven wires, the connectors will be more compact as well. This will save space on motherboards and the hard drives themselves. The latest trend in the computer industry seems to be small form factor PCs, or SFF PCs. Serial ATA will help make PCs even smaller and more efficient.

[Kane]

Of those, I'd say the Hammer is the most interesting. Palladium the most frightening.
I agree with Siori tho, Serial ATA is missing.

[metal_ash]

i vote or the ddr II. fast fast fast fast fast

[Kane]

Wha? DDR-2 is just like a core revision, like the Barton to the Athlon or the GeForce 4 was to the 3. Same like the R350. I might be interested in the GeForceFX, but that's just my nVidia fanboy talking.

[felinusz]

Hammer is most highly anticipated in my books, but these delays really say something about AMD's marketing techniques

[Demigod]

I was thinking of including serial ATA but I wanted to limit it to upcoming technologies. Products with serial ATA 1.0 were introduced in September 2002. I don't think it's quite standard yet but it's available. If some admin wants to include it though then go right ahead.

[Kane]

Hmmm.... /me adds choice and changes vote respectively.
Serial ATA is a new teh which hasn't really been adopted yet, but is a very interesting new tech.
Although personaly, I can't wait for a replacement for PCI so that we can get a better throughput when fast enough drives arrive.

[_E_]

hmm,...the current processors at a speed of 2.0 GHz+ are more than enough for me, personally, I am looking forward for the Geforce FX

[Recca]

My vote goes for GFFX since the current proccesors are just fine.
My second vote would be for DDR-2 ram. is there a current mobo wich supports it

[zukeft]

I see nothing incredibly revolutionary in that list (maybe Serial ATA only). Anything that I'd get from it wouldn't be a major upgrade.

[Esturk]

I'm excited to see the performance of the Prescott.

[Gamer1]

I completely forgot about intel's baby... the serial ata.

I'm actually looking forward more to PCI Express or Infiniband... That is actually something real useful. but the thing is... cost is what's holding these technologies back, and actual need for them.

look at SCSI, that should have been the ATA (mostly known as IDE, but ATA is the original name that was bestowed on it by IBM) killer. But it was costly and noone really needed it... That's why SCSI is mostly found in servers.

But intel's other baby... PCI... was a great solution from IBM's ISA...

Right now, in my honest opinion, i truly believe that it is possible to have speeds like the agp on the pci, isa, or other expansion slot... but the cost held it back... and there was no real need for it.