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Compwiz17 -- Ah, you mean that one link that brings you back to Ben's Homepage?

I searched ATI RV870 Evergreen release date and yes DX11 within there also to came up with the links I provided. When I use your terms launch is the key word different. That did find the brightsideofnews.com article that is more than an unsubstantiated rumor dated 7/22/09.
http://www.brightsideofnews.com/news/2009/7/22/ati-to-launch-directx-11-gpubaconn-seven-weeks.aspx

Here's the latest from PCworld and they don't say much to verify the launch and that was just 5 days ago.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/169855/amd_set_to_release_directx_11_graphics_card.html
While ExtremeTech has this article from Aug 4th and again not much said, actually they go as far as saying "And neither AMD nor Nvidia has really announced these products yet, though there have been several public demonstrations of working parts. "
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2351190,00.asp
And PC Mag had wrote this about Dx11 on July 28th. "So you have to buy a new card to get the full effect of Direc X 11. ATI has already demoed its new DirectX 11 hardware and says it will bring it to market after the launch of Windows 7."
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<table width="90%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" border="0" align="center"><tr> <td><span class="genmed"><b>Casecutter wrote:</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="quote">Compwiz17 -- Ah, you mean that one link that brings you back to Ben's Homepage?</td> </tr></table><span class="postbody">

It seems that ben is filtering out is.gd shortened URL's. And, the bacon filter is messing up the full length URL's.

<table width="90%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" border="0" align="center"><tr> <td><span class="genmed"><b>Casecutter wrote:</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="quote">
I searched ATI RV870 Evergreen release date and yes DX11 within there also to came up with the links I provided. When I use your terms launch is the key word different. That did find the brightsideofnews.com article that is more than an unsubstantiated rumor dated 7/22/09.
http://www.brightsideofnews.com/news/2009/7/22/ati-to-launch-directx-11-gpubaconn-seven-weeks.aspx </td> </tr></table><span class="postbody">

Yes, that's the one I'm referring to. More likely than not they're correct, they've got a lot of sources within tech companies.

As for the other articles, it seems that they're using older information. ATI's cards came out good and didn't need further revisions, so they're able to launch them ahead of previously estimated dates.

After the Phenom debacle, AMD has been more conservative with dates, and recently has beaten their own launch time estimate on a CPU line.

Unlike nVidia, who promised G300 chips soon after the Windows 7 launch, and is completely failing to get those ready e... [Truncated]

Well, OK
True the RV870 is not a big departure from the 4890 revision from what I've read, so that we can agree on. While, yes the 4770 40Nm trial probably was a pilot run, that not only illustrated issue at TSCM, but worked out bug's in processing and tooling with the AIB's. So on manufacturing side they probably have that pipe-line in place. Here's the kicker, did TSCM achive descent yield wafers coming out of their facility to meet ATI's timeline for production? That has been the only part of the equation I've not heard either way.

As to the "Launch", ATI could move forward mid-Sept with most likely two SKU's and limited quantities till early-mid October. Launch is just a date to those under NDA's that sites can release information and articles. Actually having quantities of cards at distributor that aren't at or above the ATI list price... that's when I say things are "released" and rolling correctly.

Having information is great, but actually getting the cards at applicable pricing... that's when you have my attention!

Well, looking historically, after the launch of the 4xxx series, the 38xx video cards dropped dramatically in price, hitting $30-50.

<table width="90%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" border="0" align="center"><tr> <td><span class="genmed"><b>CompWiz17 wrote:</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="quote">Well, looking historically, after the launch of the 4xxx series, the 38xx video cards dropped dramatically in price, hitting $30-50.</td> </tr></table><span class="postbody">
Well, that's because right at launch ATI had good volumes of 3850 and those recieved the obligatory 15-20% less than list. The 3870 had limitations in the initial pipe fill and couldn't get competitive with 8800GT, basically priced the same but lower performance.

The 48XX series was the ATI end around, putting a death grip on GTX260 and 280, while under cutting the GT / GTX. Thier pricing delivered the marketing one two punch; new architecture and manufacturing giving excellent yields and opened a can of whip-ass. Nvidia had to quickly steal back that thunder with the GTX+, Core 216, and 275, 285. Consider all that effort moved focus, time and resources away from actual new design work to a degree.

This time things are a little different, ATI is not an underdog and their cost aren't that hugely different given the unknown of % of good yield. I say if the pipeline can be sufficiently filled ATI will set list price and distributors will offer at them 15% below that, so a list of $280 will quickly hit $240 with a normal off-list price and rebate.
http://www.nordichardware.com/news,9672.html
http://www.nordichardware.com/news,9782.html
http://www.semiaccurate.com/2009/08/11/evergr... [Truncated]

Move this off to the review area...
http://bensbargains.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=815923#815923