ATI and Nvidia graphics chips pushing at megahertz limits

WE SPOKE with some folk that that really really know how graphic semiconductor works and how far 0.13µ chips can go.

Apparently you can get to 600 MHz maximum if you are skilled and lucky enough.

We reported earlier that the 0.13 micron R420 will work around 500MHz and I guess that NV40 might even go more than that but it seems no one can exceed 600MHz.

The next marchitecture that ATI (RV370) and Nvidia are playing with might just be 0.11µ based.

It's hard to confirm whether the RV370, DX 9 PCI Express card will come at 0.11 µ but it would make sense, since this is exactly how ATI went from 0.15 µ to 0.13 µ in the mainstream market, less dangerous and less noisy, it seems. I guess that 600MHz graphics chips won't arrive before next year but the conjurors will be attempting to get this particular rabbit out of this particular cap as soon as poss. Brain over brawn. µ