AMD Radeon Pro Duo Preview: Dual Fiji Unleashed
AMD Radeon Pro Duo Summary
Due to the fact that the Radeon Pro Duo leverages graphics IP from across both the FirePro and Radeon product lines, AMD has done something unique on the software side as well.
The Radeon Pro Duo Can Use Desktop Or Workstation Graphics Drivers
Depending on the particular use case, the Radeon Pro Duo can be configured with gamer-centric Crimson Edition drivers, just like all other current Radeon-branded graphics cards, or it can be used with AMD FirePro drivers is you need / want application certifications or the additional stability of workstation-class software.
The AMD Radeon Pro Duo
The AMD Radeon Pro Duo will be available today from select add-in-board partners and system integrators. The expected price for the card is $1499. If you inspect the Radeon Pro Duo’s specifications, it looks much like a pair of Radeon R9 Nano cards, which can currently be had for $499 a pop. So obviously, there is a significant mark-up for the liquid-cooling, single-slot (plus radiator) form factor, and title of AMD’s fastest graphics card yet. Whether or not that’s worth an additional 500 bucks is individual preference, but it’s not a drop in the bucket.
Of course, it’s hard to say anything concrete about the Radeon Pro Duo without actually testing one first-hand. We hope to have an opportunity to experiment with one soon, though with Polaris right around the corner, we suspect AMD’s going to have some more news to share relatively soon. What we know for sure is that with Polaris on the way, support for DX12 picking up steam, and NVIDIA readying new cards based on Pascal, this should be an exciting few months in the graphic space.
The Radeon Pro Duo Can Use Desktop Or Workstation Graphics Drivers
Depending on the particular use case, the Radeon Pro Duo can be configured with gamer-centric Crimson Edition drivers, just like all other current Radeon-branded graphics cards, or it can be used with AMD FirePro drivers is you need / want application certifications or the additional stability of workstation-class software.
The AMD Radeon Pro Duo
The AMD Radeon Pro Duo will be available today from select add-in-board partners and system integrators. The expected price for the card is $1499. If you inspect the Radeon Pro Duo’s specifications, it looks much like a pair of Radeon R9 Nano cards, which can currently be had for $499 a pop. So obviously, there is a significant mark-up for the liquid-cooling, single-slot (plus radiator) form factor, and title of AMD’s fastest graphics card yet. Whether or not that’s worth an additional 500 bucks is individual preference, but it’s not a drop in the bucket.
Of course, it’s hard to say anything concrete about the Radeon Pro Duo without actually testing one first-hand. We hope to have an opportunity to experiment with one soon, though with Polaris right around the corner, we suspect AMD’s going to have some more news to share relatively soon. What we know for sure is that with Polaris on the way, support for DX12 picking up steam, and NVIDIA readying new cards based on Pascal, this should be an exciting few months in the graphic space.
