X-bit labs

CeBIT 2008 Coverage: Part X (page 11)

Category: Editorial

by Anton Shilov

[ 03/15/2008 | 05:33 PM ]

Legalize!: Galaxy Legalizes Hardware Voltmodding of Graphics Cards

It is not a secret that increasing voltage on any chips harms their life expectance. Still, it is known that developers of graphics processing units’ sell their chips allowing their customers to overclock them and increase their voltage by a certain degree nowadays. Hence, some suppliers of graphics cards take advantage of it. 

X-bit labs has already reported about Gigabyte’s graphics cards that can boost voltage of onboard GPUs using specially developed software. But Galaxy Technology made one step further: it now offers graphics cards with a special jumper that switches GPU power supply voltage.

At this time Galaxy can offer a relatively narrow lineup of graphics cards with built-in voltmodding capability, but it is highly likely that the number of such products will grow eventually, as the company shows definite intention to address the market of hardware enthusiasts.

Right now Galaxy offers to increase GPU voltage supply from 1.25V to 1.5V on its Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT-based graphics cards in order to boost their clock-speeds without problems eventually, but later on the company may offer other graphics solutions with hardware voltmodding capability.

 

Besides, Galaxy demonstrated its mainboards at CeBIT 2008 and also said that it hardly sells any Nvidia GeForce reference design graphics cards, but has competence to develop its own designs, a rare capability and willingness in today’s graphics business.