Why did Ati goes backward in technology?

[UpskirtHeaven]

Why did Ati goes backward in technology? with the x2900xt.

x1950xtx is the first card that features ddr4. then the next flagship of ati come along.... goes back to ddr3. why is that?

seriously the x2900xt is a big failure as i see it. the performance gap wasnt that huge to the x1950xtx. unlike from x850xt pe to x1950xtx.

[aliquidparadigm]

Because the 2900xt had a 512-bit memory interface, which is more expensive than the 256-bit interface; you can get a faster memory bandwidth with a 512-bit interface and GDDR3 than you can with a 256-bit interface and GDDR4; and the GDDR3 will have lower latencies.

This doesn't change the fact that the 2900 series was shit, it's just an explanation for why they used GDDR3.

Also, your "flagship-to-flagship" comparison of x850xt pe-to-1950xtx is selectively leaving out a few flagships there, the x1800xt, and x1900xtx specifically.

[Radiator]

Why did Ati goes backward in technology? with the x2900xt.

x1950xtx is the first card that features ddr4. then the next flagship of ati come along.... goes back to ddr3. why is that?

seriously the x2900xt is a big failure as i see it. the performance gap wasnt that huge to the x1950xtx. unlike from x850xt pe to x1950xtx.

GDDR4 was no real upgrade over GDDR3 anyway , due to increased latencies .

[McArthur]

GDDR4 wasn't that great. It just added to cost without any real benefit

The HD2900's would've sucked with or without it