VR-Zone

Donanimhaber reports that AMD's first HD 6000 release - the Radeon HD 6700 - will feature a 256-bit memory interface, doubling up on the HD 5700 series' 128-bit. Recent GPU-Z leaks suggest the Radeon HD 6800 series will feature a 256-bit bus as well. For the Radeon HD 5000 series, one of the criticisms was a massive performance gap between the HD 5700 and the HD 5800 series, with the weakest Evergreen product (HD 5830) filling the gap somewhat unsuccessfully. It is possible that AMD has decided to boost the mainstream x700 series, bringing it closer to the performance x800 series.

The HD 6700 could use (relatively) slower memory - perhaps 1200 MHz, or the same as the HD 5800 series, and the HD 6800 with super-fast 1600 MHz - nearly double the speed as typical Nvidia Geforce 400 series cards.

A faster HD 6700 series could have implications throughout the entire HD 6000 family. For example, it could leave room open for the crowded $70-$100 market, which currently serves the HD 5400, HD 5500 and HD 5600 series. We could even see the HD 6600 series replacing the low-end of the HD 5700 series, with the HD 6700 series replacing the HD 5770 and the HD 5830. AMD would not like to leave a massive gap between $150 and $300 products filled in by a single relatively weak product, as in the HD 5000 generation. If the HD 6700 features a 256-bit bus, it may suggest the HD 6700 would offer more options in the $180-$250 sweet spot than the HD 5000 series.

The Radeon HD 6700 cards release in just over a month's time, with a scheduled release date of October 13th.

Reference: Donanimhaber