AMD launches FirePro series

New FirePro range brings more power to PCs

Jeremy ProomeAugust 8, 2012

Advanced Micro Devices has just launched its new range of graphics cards – the FirePro A300 series.

Aimed at entry level and mainstream users, the new AMD FirePro A300 and A320 are the first pair of APUs to combine central processing and graphics processing functionality on a single chip.

“Design professionals demand workstation-class tools that enable productivity and flexibility in their workflow, and the AMD FirePro A300 Series APUs enable workstation integrators and OEMs an exciting new computing platform on which to design and build powerful, entry-level desktop workstation configurations that deliver unbeatable value for CAD and M&E workflows,” AMD Graphics general manager Matt Skynner said in a statement.

AMD’s Turbo Core technology dynamically cranks the FirePro A300′s clock to as high as 4GHz and the A320′s to 4.2GHz in certain workload conditions. Both A300 Series APUs support Eyefinity, AMD’s high-res multi-monitor technology.

AMD FirePro A300 Series APUs
APU Model	TDP	CPU Cores	CPU Clock (Max/Base)	AMD Stream Processors	GPU Clock	Unlocked
AMD FirePro A300	65W	4	4 GHz / 3.4 GHz	384	760 MHz	No
AMD FirePro A320	100W	4	4.2 GHz / 3.8 GHz	384	800 MHz	Yes

AMD also revealed several traditionally architected GPUs, including the FirePro W9000 with a 4 teraflops (TFLOPs) of single-precision performance and 1 TFLOP of double-precision performance.

The chip maker’s new high-end FirePro lineup is led by the W9000, which packs 6GB of high-speed GDDR5 memory.

The FirePro W8000 has 4GB of GDDR5 memory, while the FirePro W7000 also has 4GB of GDDR5 memory.

The FirePro W9000 and W8000 cards are aimed at high-performance CAD engineers, media designers, and digital signage professionals, while the W7000 is a mid-range solution for those visual computing pros, AMD said. The FirePro W8000 is billed as being capable of 3.23 TFLOPs of single-precision performance and 806 gigaflops of double-precision performance, while the W7000 isn’t capable of double-precision but does rate at 2.4 TFLOPs for single-precision work.