Posted 10/06/2009 at 06:51:46am

I haven't looked at all the posts but I noticed on the picture of the 5870 card that there are two red "vent" looking openings at the end of the card adjacent to the 2 6-pin power connectors.  Are these openings for air or am I missing something?  Thanks.

 By the way, I have been an AMD fanboy for a long time and switched from Nvidia 8600GTS X 2 in sli to one ATI 4870, then a 4870x2 (it blew up on me and was warranty replaced by) then 2 HIS ICEQ4 turbo 1Gb GDDR5 cards in crossfire.  I don't want to bash Nvidia but I cannot understand why in the world they would still be using GDDR3 and having to overclock the hell out of the memory (read heat, huge cooling assemblies).

I love the fact that my good old Texas-based AMD is shaking up the mix.  A few months back there was an article in your rag about Intel NEEDING AMD despite the small market share AMD has.

Then came Dubai and the "Foundry."  Boys, we have a truly worthy contender for both Intel and Nvidia.  Competition is great and it is us, the end users that benefit.  Sure, the Intel Core I7 will smoke an AMD but I never had to change my motherboard in order to try the new socket AM3 processors and keep my AM2+ CPU's as a backup.  It is this kind of backwards compatability that shows AMD understands that it cost us money to go out and get a new motherboard just because the new CPU won't work on the old motherboard.

 I look forward to Nvidia's answer to ATI's 5870 salvo shot over the bow.  Competition has, especially lately kept the cost of high-end components within our (real world working man's) reach.  Cudos AMD. 

James R. Rea

Posted 01/11/2009 at 04:39:26pm

I have remained loyal to AMD ever since Cyrix went out of business.  I work for a major telco and once installed data circuits in Cyrix's Richardson, Texas office.  They had a good thing going but stepped down after about 200mhz.  Then there was AMD.  Affordable, reliable and always a huge return on the bang for buck factor. 

 Fast forward to the present.  No, AMD isn't kicking Intel's butt, simply and subtly making their move just like the memorable day the ATI 4870 Video card hit the shelves of the stores guys like me watch and wait and then pounce on the best as soon as it becomes available.  GDDR5.  Smaller die.  Great performance.  Most importantly, affordable.  The fact that I will be able to drop this new Phenom II x 4 into my present rig and take off without missing a beat is quite a nice thing.

 Sure, AMD did what it had to do to survive in the present economic environment, but having personally served in the military and walked the streets of more than a couple of the UAE, Dubai investors are fine with me as long as the core people who make this stuff work are able to call the shots.  AMD must exist because there is no Goliath without David.  Way to go, AMD! Your success will not please everyone.  Just plain old guys like me.  Oh, and Wall Street might want to take a look.  Kudos, Man. 

James R. Rea