Its been a while since the graphics processing unit (GPU) makers engaged each other in a marketing battle, but now AMD has thrown down the gauntlet to rival Nvidia with the launch of its Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition.  

AMD announced what it calls the world’s fastest GPU, the AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition, claiming that no “other graphics card comes close to the performance and features” that this GPU offers.

This card uses the firm’s graphics core next (GCN) architecture to boost performance and image quality. It boasts a 1 GHz engine clock (up to 1.05 GHz with boost), 2048 stream processors, support for up to six displays via AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology, and 3 GB of GDDR5 (1500 MHz memory clock) RAM.

In addition, the Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition sports AMD’s app acceleration technology, which according to the manufacturer boosts gameplay performance, enhances physics effects, as well as commonly performance PC tasks such as online video viewing and Blu-ray video experiences.

Earlier this year Nvidia showcased its fastest (dual-GPUs notwithstanding) graphics card in the GeForce GTX 680. The company claimed that this GPU was over 300% faster in DirectX 11 tessellation performance compared with the closest competitive product - last year’s quickest single-GPU, the AMD Radeon HD 7970.

The Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition is AMD’s response to the GeForce GTX 680, meaning that the ball is now back in Nvidia’s court.

AMD stated that the Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition will be available as early as next week from its add-in board (AIB) partners including Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, and Sapphire with the recommended retail price starting at $499 (around R4170). No local release info is available yet.

“The AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition rounds out our award-winning GCN family, providing world-class gameplay thanks to the industry’s fastest single GPU,” said Matt Skynner, corporate vice president and general manager of the GPU Division at AMD.

“Gamers have been hungry for our AMD Radeon HD 7000 Series since our launch last December. We have been able to meet that growing demand as we expanded our AMD Radeon HD 7000 offerings and brought the industry’s most advanced graphics across a complete family of leading-edge desktop and notebook graphics cards,” Skynner concluded.