ATI Launches 512 MB X800 XL Graphics Card

THG - ATI follows Nvidia with the launch of its first commercially available graphics card that is equipped with 512 MByte memory. The company however chose to load the additional memory onto a mainstream card and price it 50 percent less below Nvidia’s 512 MByte card.

“Adding memory always adds cost to a product. The X800 XL is still a high performing solution, but it allowed us to offer it at a lower price point,” said ATI spokeswoman Patricia Mikula. ATI suggests a retail price of $450 for vendors - which is less than half of what a GeForce 6800 Ultra with 512 MByte currently goes for.

The Inquirer - IT’S A CLEVER piece of a cunning marketing plan from ATI that is the launching of the X800XL with 512MB memory. I strongly suspect that 256MB X800XL components will be “phased out” or OS really quickly, only to be replaced by the 512MB as the price - not the performance - gap between the X800XL and the X850XT closes.