As a partner of ATI, Sapphire has just introduced its latest new X1000 series of graphics cards. The top of the range RADEON X1800 family now delivers the highest graphics performance among the rest of the cards, with its new architecture featuring 16 pixel shader processors and a new ring-bus based 512-bit memory controller delivering true Direct X 9 Shader Model 3.0 compatibility for the first time. Sophisticated large scale multi-threading is supported with hundreds of simultaneous threads across multiple cores and the ability to handle small thread sizes and multiple shader instructions per thread maximizes processor efficiency.

Image quality is enhanced with High Dynamic Range rendering (HDR) combined with up to 12x Anti-Aliasing (AA), blending capability and a new higher quality anisotropic filtering (AF). Parallax occlusion mapping is a new technique based on ray tracing techniques to allow three dimensional detail to interact on surfaces details can hide or cast shadows on to each other in real time thanks to the power of the ultra threading capability. The architecture also supports Avivo delivering high fidelity images and video playback to the latest High definition video standards.

Top of the new Sapphire range will be the X1800XT and XL models. Based on the same architecture, but offering slightly lower performance levels with more affordable pricing will be the Sapphire RADEON X1600 series, and for even more competitive pricing the company offers the RADEON X1300 series. There will also be versions to support dual GPU operation in CrossFire systems. All models will ship with TRIXX - Sapphire's safe overclocking utility for enhanced performance.

Retail versions of these new Sapphire graphics accelerators will ship with Sapphire Select, the new way to deliver a choice of games to the end user. Each card is bundled with a DVD containing a selection of top applications and games from several leading software houses. The end customer can play each of the games for a one hour trial before choosing which titles he or she wants to keep and using the activation codes for those titles.

Specifications:

Chipset	RADEON X1800 series	RADEON X1600 series	RADEON X1300 series
Engine clock	up to 625MHz	Up to 590 MHz	Up to 600 MHz
Shader units	16	12	4
Memory clock	up to 750MHz	Up to 690 MHz	Up to 400 MHz
Memory interface	256-bit	128-bit	64 / 128 -bit
Memory Support	128 / 256 / 512 MB	128 / 256 / 512 MB	128 / 256 MB
Bus Interface	PCI Express	PCI Express	PCI Express
Variable display outputs	DVI / DVI / VIVO	VGA / DVI / TV out	VGA / DVI / TV out
Max 3D resolution	2048 x 1536 @ 85Hz (VGA)1024 x 768 @ 200Hz (TV out)	2048 x 1536 @ 85Hz (VGA)1024 x 768 @ 200Hz (TV out)	2048 x 1536 @ 85Hz (VGA)1024 x 768 @ 200Hz (TV out)
Hardware Features	DirectX 9 ShaderModel 3.0	DirectX 9 ShaderModel 3.0	DirectX 9 ShaderModel 3.0
Software Feature	Avivo	Avivo	Avivo