ATI Hybrid Graphics

The ATI Hybrid Graphics technology, is a collective brand from AMD for its Radeon line of discrete and integrated GPU, promoting higher performance and productivity while saving energy consumption in GPUs. The technology currently applies to selected chipsets of the AMD 700 chipset series only. The ATI Hybrid Graphics technology was announced on January 23, 2008 with Radeon HD 2400 series and Radeon HD 3400 series video cards supporting hybrid graphics functionality. Originally, ATI announced this feature would only be supported in Vista, but in August 2008 they included support in their Windows XP drivers as well [http://arstechnica.com/journals/hardware.ars/2008/08/21/ati-cat-8-8-drivers-include-hybrid-graphics-in-windows-xp?bub] .

ATI was awarded a patent on December 14, 2006 [patent|US|2006282604|"Methods and apparatus for processing graphics data using multiple processing circuits." filed on May 27, 2005] for the technology as the patent document shown the possibilities of multiple video cards and the IGP forming a CrossFire setup on the desktop platform.

Technologies

Hybrid CrossFire/Hybrid CrossFire X

The Hybrid CrossFire is a technology allowing the IGP and the discrete GPU to form a CrossFire setup to enhance the system capability to render 3D scenes, while the Hybrid CrossFire X technology is present on the 790GX chipset, with two supplied physical PCI-E x16 slots at x8 bandwidth zh icon [http://www.hkepc.com/?id=734 HKEPC review] , retrieved January 29, 2008] , can form a Hybrid CrossFire X setup with two video cards and the IGP, enhancing the 3D rendering capabilities. zh icon [http://hkepc.com/?id=484 HKEPC report] : AMD touts Hybrid Crossfire X technology, combining IGP and GPU, available in Q2 2008. Retrieved December 12, 2007]

Initial performance results paired with a Radeon HD 2400 video card leads to a 50% performance increase over standalone Radeon HD 2400 performance [http://www.expreview.com/news/hard/2007-10-29/1193620831d6610.html ExpReview report] , retrieved October 31, 2007] , notebook products will also be available. Three operation modes were spotted as follows: [ [http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2008/0123/tawada_1.jpgPC Watch image] , retrieved January 24, 2008]

One notable issue is that when the IGP paired with a DirectX 10.1 video card, the whole hybrid CrossFire setup wil support up to DirectX 10.0 only, and the UVD in IGP will be shut down.

urroundView

The SurroundView technology, is a multi-display technology available in the 690G chipset, and the AMD 780G IGP chipset, this technology supports the connection of multiple monitors. For the AMD 780G chipset, at most two monitors (four supported along with a discrete graphics card) can be connected onto the supported video output ports (one through LVDS, that is either HDMI or DVI-D port and one D-Sub port), in "extended desktop mode" or "duplicate mode", for better desktop utilization and provides more flexibility.

PowerXpress

Available on mainstream mobile IGP chipsets (the AMD M780G chipset), the PowerXpress technology allows seamless switch from integrated graphics (IGP) to discrete graphics on notebooks when the notebook is connected to the AC power supply for better 3D rendering capabilities, and vice versa when disconnected from power supply to increase battery life. The process does not require a system reboot as in past and current notebook implementations.

References

External links

* [http://ati.amd.com/technology/hybridgraphics/index.html ATI Hybrid Graphics Official Webpage]