ATI Tech launches graphics processors

ATI Technologies Inc, engaged in the design and manufacture of innovative 3D graphics and digital media silicon solutions, has launched Radeon X1000 graphics processors (GPUs) which, according to the company, will deliver better image quality.

The new GPUs "� Radeon X1800, X1600 and X1300 "� have been made by using 90 nanometer semiconductor fabrication technology. While Radeon X1800 and X1300 have already been shipped to India, Radeon X1600 will be available in the country by this month-end.

ATI's senior architect Raja Koduri claimed that Radeon X1800 is the "fastest graphic processor on the planet". Similarly, he said, Radeon X1600 delivers the best image quality available, while Radeon X1300 will meet the needs of budget-conscious gamers.

Koduri told newspersons that GPUs could as well be used as computing devices and not just processing devices in future. Particularly, the company's hyper memory (HMMer) chips could be incorporated in personal computers and laptops.

HMMer chips have diverse functions including physical simulation, medical imaging, speech recognition, matrix / vector operations and protein sequence matching, which is necessary in cancer research.

ATI Technologies' India managing director Dasaradha R Gude said 100 more engineers would be added to the company in a year's span. He said that the company's sales had increased significantly in the last year. More than 17 partners are distributing ATI products today, up from zero a year back.