SAPPHIRE
Strengthens Mainstream Offering with
New
Models and New ArcSoft Bundle
SAPPHIRE
Technology has just strengthened its mainstream range of ATI-based
graphics
cards with the introduction of several new models in the HD 5500 series
and a
new bundle deal with ArcSoft.
The
SAPPHIRE HD 5500 series is based on the highly successful graphics
architecture
from the ATI division of AMD, built in its 40nm process. It supports
the advanced
graphical features of Microsoft DirectX 11, as well as on-board Stream
Processing
and video decoding, delivering superb video clarity and visual effects,
whilst
consuming very low power levels.
The
SAPPHIRE
HD 5550 family of graphics cards have 320 Stream processors and support
Microsoft
DirectX 11 as well as accelerating applications compatible with ATI
Stream. SAPPHIRE
now offers several new models with different memory configurations and
display
output options giving users a choice of card for different
applications, and
different budgets. As the core technology is low power, no external
power
connection is required, making this series ideal for system upgrades or
mainstream PCs that do not have high end power supplies.
ATI
Eyefinity multi-screen technology is supported by models with a
DisplayPort
output. This technology gives users the ability to work across three
monitors
as though it were one large monitor, bringing huge productivity
benefits to
applications such as photo editing, music creation and document
creation, see
how at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3ye9zfBA1s.
Other
models in the SAPPHIRE HD 5550 series have the alternative output
configuration
of DVI, HDMI and VGA. This is the most flexible combination of monitor
outputs
and allows the use of HDMI enabled monitors or digital TVs to be
directly
driven with both video and sound signals over a single HDMI cable.
Ideal
for media applications, all members of the SAPPHIRE HD 5550 series have
an on
board hardware UVD (Unified Video decoder) considerably reducing CPU
load and
delivering smooth decoding of Blu-ray™ and HD DVD content for
both VC-1 and
H.264 codecs, as well as Mpeg files. In the SAPPHIRE HD 5000 series the
UVD has
been enhanced to be able simultaneously to decode two 1080p HD video
streams
and to be able to display HD video in high quality with Windows Aero
mode
enabled. It supports HDMI 1.3a with Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master
Audio.
ArcSoft
TotalMedia Theatre 3 is a new generation of media player that uses ATI
Stream technology
supported by the SAPPHIRE HD 5550 series to provide smooth, video
playback of
Blu-Ray and HD-DVD content as well as upscaling other video material. A
new deal
with ArcSoft gives purchasers of the SAPPHIRE HD 5550 series a 50%
discount on upgrading
to the ‘Gold’ or ‘Platinum’
versions from now until the 30th
August
2010.
The
SAPPHIRE HD 5500 series is fully compatible with DirectX10.1, DirectX
10 and
DirectX 9.0 games and applications, as well as showing stunning new
levels of
detail, transparency and lighting effects in newer releases of software
using
DirectX 11. Native CrossFire support allows two or more cards to be
used
together for additional performance on a suitable CrossFireX compatible
mainboard. On the HD 5500 series, CrossFireX is supported in software
by the
driver, and no additional interconnect is required.
The
SAPPHIRE HD 5500 series is supported by AMD's Catalyst DirectX 11 WHQL
certified graphics driver which together with this generation of
hardware delivers
support for all of the key DirectX 11 level features including
DirectCompute 11
instructions, hardware Tessellation and multi-threaded communications
with the
system CPU. They also support ATI Stream, accelerating supported
applications
such as video transcoding and rendering tasks by executing instructions
on the
GPU architecture rather than the system CPU.
For
more details please
visit www.sapphiretech.com
For
more information on the
ArcSoft product please visit: http://www.arcsoft.com/estore/software_title.asp?ProductCode=TMT3P
