We have all seen phenomenal graphics on a computer, either in a store or at a friend’s house. The graphic capabilities of computers have come a long way largely due to the advancements in the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). ATI began creating GPUs in 1985 and was swallowed up by AMD in 2006. In today’s GPU marketplace, there are few players who stand up to the competition like ATI. This article introduces AMD/ATI’s current GPU models and will help you make an informed decision on which GPU powered graphics card to purchase for your desktop or notebook computer.

When reading about ATI GPUs, you’ll see them referenced as both ATI and AMD cards. In our article, we’ll stick to ATI, since AMD kept the name active after buying them in 2006.

ATI’s earliest forays into the advanced GPU marketplace included the Rage and Rage II cards. Nowadays, the premiere model is named the Radeon. ATI also produces mobile GPUs for the Mobile Radeon cards and integrated solutions for affordable graphics. 

ATI competes directly with products offered by NVIDIA. The two companies produce GPUs, graphics cards, and integrated solutions for mobile technology. While NVIDIA usually seems to be the clear front-runner, the two often jostle for the position and with the recent release of the Radeon HD 4870 X2, many industry analysts would argue that ATI now holds that position again. ATI always has a sizeable portion of the market, and continues to work on improving in areas to compete. They typically have the lower end market, but do produce powerhouse GPUs as well. ATI also built the GPU for the Xbox 360, so you may already be familiar with their product.