As Nvidia Corp. demonstrated its next-generation GeForce code-named Kepler in action at Game Developers Conference (GDC) and got applauds for impressive performance, a Chinese web-site published an image of what it claims to be GeForce GTX 670 Ti graphics card.
Epic Games, a major game designer, astonished the GDC12 attendees with its Samaritan demo, which depicts next-generation video-game graphics effects using Nvidia GeForce GTX "Kepler" hardware. Created in a dark, futuristic setting, the demo utilized a host of advanced rendering techniques that smoothly tessellated and morphed facial features, created realistic street scenes using point light reflections, and replicated the work of the best movie directors through the use of fine-tuned out of focus bokeh filters.
Back at GTC11, a similar demo was unoptimized and was run on three Nvidia GeForce GTX 580 graphics boards in multi-GPU mode. This time, however, at GDC12, the Samaritan (which is based on the tweaked Unreal Engine 3 demo) was rendered using one Nvidia GeForce GTX "Kepler" graphics cards. Potentially, this proves that the next-gen Kepler architecture is two or more times faster than the existing Fermi architecture in its model 580 form. The demo video is available below.
In the meantime, RedQuasar web-site has published an image of a graphics card that carries the GeForce GTX 670 Ti moniker and which is supposed to be one of the first Kepler GPU-based offerings.
The board has two MIO connectors, which are found only on high-end products, to provide three-way or four-way multi-GPU SLI configurations. The new adapter has DisplayPort, two dual-link DVI-I and HDMI display connectors. In addition, the card seems to have tricky PCIe power connectors previously found on an alleged Kepler-class graphics board.
Nvidia has very high expectations for its Kepler generation of graphics processing units (GPUs). The company claims that it had signed contracts to supply mobile versions of GeForce “Kepler” chips with every single PC OEM in the world. In fact, Nvidia says Kepler is the best graphics processor ever designed by the company. Unfortunately for Nvidia, yields of chips made using 28nm process technology at TSMC, including Kepler, are lower than the company originally anticipated and therefore their costs are high and Nvidia's chief executive recently complained that the company cannot get enough wafers.
^ Most Definitely not true, at least not for the GK104 launching this month.
The demo this time was run using FXAA 3, not using Deferred MSAA as was the case for Tri-SLI 580s. FXAA 3 implementation is significantly less demanding than MSAA in deferred game engines (see Starcraft 2, Battlefield 3, for example).
Also, we have no information about the actual framerates or the resolutions Re: Tri-SLI 580s vs. 1 Kepler card to be able to conclude with confidence that Kepler is 2-3x faster.
For example, if the Demo was tested at 2560x1600 with 4x MSAA, GTX580 might have been memory swapping often due to only 1.5GB of VRAM. Secondly, there is at least a 30% hit in performance when using MSAA over FXAA 3. Thirdly, GTX580 Tri-SLI do not have 100% scaling. Therefore, 3x GTX580 does NOT equal 3x the performance from a single GTX580. Fourthly, EPIC and NV had at least 1 full year to optimize the demo, as well as to optimize the drivers to make it run more smoothly. We can't underestimate the power of optimizing drivers and application (see Consoles!).
I quote:
"The developers at Epic have optimized the code for its engine apparently so far that it now runs much more efficiently, although they have used in the new version, just a simple full-screen anti-aliasing (FSAA)." http://www.golem.de/news/...fikkarten-1203-90353.html
1) Tri-SLI GTX580s achieved equivalent framerates in 4x MSAA as did 1 Kepler card in 4xFXAA. (wow!)
2) Epic is able to achieve the greatest performance from the upcoming architecture as opposed to AMD's Radeon HD 7xxx series, an indication which bodes well for NVIDIA.
All i'm seeing so far is a lot of smoke and mirrors from nvidia. whenever they are actually ready to provide an actual 600 series gpu so that we can actually see the benchmarks on their new gpu then i'll actually come to a conclusion on it.
Based on 95% of current leaks, GK104 = GTX670Ti OR GTX680, GK110 is delayed and will most likely be renamed as GTX7xx series or GTX685, w/e.
GK104 = 1536 SP @ 1400 mhz shaders = 4.3 Tflops vs. 3.8 Tflops for AMD. But NV's card only has 192GB/sec memory bandwidth, crippled by 256-bit bus.
GK104 isn't meant to destroy HD7970 and it won't, not with HD7970's 30% overclocking, 3GB of VRAM and 384-bit memory bus!
If you want 30-50% more performance over 7970, this card is likely to disappoint you. You have to keep in mind GK110 is the flagship, but that isn't coming until the summer, at the earliest.
My guestimate is that HD7970s will hold their own with overclocking. 30% overclocking on HD7970 is insane!
Well until i see actual benchmarks from nivida all i keep hearing is bark and seeing no bite. if they continue to hype the nvidia 600 series then it better live up to that hype or else anything less then that of all of this hype will be dissapointing to say the least.
GK104 is not the flagship card of the Kepler series since those are designated for 500mm^2 die GPUs. It will be technically a flagship in the interim since NV has delayed GK110 way out into the summer (at least based on all the rumors). So if a GK104 that was never meant to go head to head against HD7970 can trade blows with HD7970, that's insane! That's like having a GTX560Ti beating an HD6970 by 10%. That also means the flagship Kepler coming later in the year will blow GK104 out of the water. That means AMD will bring an even faster HD7970 card. Good competition ahead.
The most critical aspect is the price. If NV launches this at $399-449, it's a game changer. If NV launches this at $549, then it's lame.
if and buts at this point. less barking and more biting from nvidia. put up or shutup for nvidia enough with the hype. Hype means nothing if you can't actually see the results to deliver.
Nvidia have history of changing card specs at final time
GTX 480 / 590 is perfect example of this
480 have been refreshed till a part where clock speed of the gpu touch a part where it beat HD 5870
with 590 it is even worse
590 clock speed was taken to a part where it trade blows ** DO NOT BEAT HD 6990 ** with HD 6990 and when you try to overclock it . It either dies or become unstable .
What if GK 104 come at incense clock of speed of 1.1GHZ with 1.25V and no overclock headroom of any kind????
560 TI trade blows with 580 @ 1GHZ at 955MHZ it beat 570 with ease
Yep 1200MHz overcklocking is insane, but then it's thee reasonable slurry selling point for DAMN and the reason why they kept its original specs at moderately low 925MHz. This way they can lure OCers into their camp and every HD7970 when the price drops cames wont be able to do same thing (or they would sell them as cheaper 7950s to keep oc customers happy 800MHz+30% ~1040MHz (ONLY) and even the heavily crippled chips could easily reach that Some 7930 won came very soon or would even 7930 when oced be good enough to leave GK104 in cloud of dust?!
Lets just praise that GK104 an nvidia could lower prices in tryouts to out compete DAMN. Thats what we really need not yet another king of the hill by some abysmal margin holding their price higher than HD7970
If gk104 will perform in OC as gf104gf114 there is nothing to hold for a 7970. Also because AIB manufacturers will have the option to provide a 4GB version of the 680.
If that is so AMD/ATI will be forced to release counter punch HD 8000 series this year with high possibility at Q4 if not then it will lost a lot of customers and competition will die again, say hello to $1000 consumer cards.
Let HD7970 and GK104 battle it out at $450-550 now. By Q4 2012/Q1 2013 these cards will move into upper midrange segment and GTX780/HD8000 series will become new $550 champs. There is no need to assume that videocards will cost $1000.
It simply means current high-end cards will become mid-range as even faster cards are released, and so on. This is like GTX480 plummeting to $300 when the brand new 15% faster GTX580 launched at $499.
I have my fingers crossed this thing is a GPGPU/bitcoin mining monster. If true, I am ready for 2x GK110s in SLI. 2304 SP @ 1400mhz x 2 ops/clock x 2 GPUs = 12.9 Tflops of single-precision.
And if it overclocks another 20-30%, I'll **** ma pants.
Let's just wait to see the specs. 1800mhz Shaders clocks @ 1536 SPs is very fast. Why would such a card barely beat HD7970 by 10% in BF3?
It would be hilarious if NV purposely fed wrong information and we see some insane monster card that lays down 1536 SPs @ 1800mhz shaders like you said. Just a day or 2 left to see!
It's crappytastic. Even DAMN and Intel running away from 3ALU design but nvidia are marching into club on 28nm level.
So now we'll have even more overheating friendly CPUs, pardon ex.GPUs.
JHH mast've found silicone holy grail and next time hell whip out space for two more ALUs and at least one more FPU in it's cuda (miracle/milagro) core.
Is that photo real, How big is that fan?
All that power/performance and only "that" fan to cool it, I am getting a little worried folks, Really don't want another 480GTX jet engine!
I don't really care if the card costs an extra $50 just get the damn fan right so I don't have to modify or water cool it!
Don't worry. GTX570 and 580 use that same fan design and they are quiet.
The problem with GTX480 was not the fan, but the chip ran extremely hot, it had "leaky" transistors, and was manufactured on at that time immature 40nm process. As manufacturing node improves, the leakage of transistors improves and you can achieve similar frequencies at lower voltages. This card will be using a much more efficient 28nm process.
Also, the actual heatsink for 570/580 series replaced the heatpipes of the GTX480 with a Vapor Chamber Cooler:
Sounds like a winner, My 480 SLI set up was great in winter but cost me $2500 for an aircon for small bedroom in summer, Extreme cooling you might say!
If the top end card later on this year is quiet and heaps more the performance of 580GTX then it's a no brainer,May even go dual again.
$2,500 for air con + electricity costs? That sounds excessive. What is this an industrial style air con? Where do you live? In the summer time I just open the window about 4 inches and put the PC close to it. I have the tower raised off the ground floor so that it exhausts straight out of the 2nd floor window of my house. Helps a lot
Nahhh no good here in summer, 40-45c temps open the window and you just let in more hot air which is usually hotter than the air indoors,Has to be well sealed/insulated house. Aircon was just a bonus for cooling pc mainly bought it to help me get some sleep.
No not industrial, Just an inverter type pretty energy efficient,Then again the outlay of the unit kind of cancels that out,But at least it's quiet.
Looking forward to these new 28nm cards,2012 is going to be great for both AMD and Nvidia users, Just hope some developers out there use some of that GPU power instead of console ports.
Tomorrow is D-Day, Nvidia finally spills some beans on the upcoming card! yessssssssss excited as a kid at Xmas.
Unfortunately for Nvidia, yields of chips made using 28nm process technology at TSMC, including Kepler, are lower than the company originally anticipated and therefore their costs are high and Nvidia's chief executive recently complained that the company cannot get enough wafers.
Always same poor old bastard story to keep the prices sky high. So should we expect more than insanely 699USD for this new envy monster?
C'mon envydio we need cool gpus not overpriced frying pans. You know how to make a GPU in 7900GTX days. At least rehire some people that know what they're doing.
And JHH you could shoot yourself in toe, both of them. We dont wanna pay for your obsessed poker debts.
Potentially, this proves that the next-gen Kepler architecture is two or more times faster than the existing Fermi architecture in its model 580 form.
You could only dream that this is true. Unfortunately nvidas previous SLI incarnations are not that scaling friendly and not that ubiquitous as evy's single GPU solutios. TripleSLI is even more fail. Mqany test show that only good performing series 500 craps are 570GTX when it comes to SLi
Too much hype about yet another overpriced frying pan. Three years in a row?! That's ultimately sad (if we dust under the carpet 8800GTX and crappy 280GTX)
Make Home Page
Add to Favorites
Xbitlabs on Facebook
XbitLabs is using Twitter
Windows Live Alerts
14
| Date: 03/08/12 08:12:12 PM]
| Date: 03/09/12 01:30:31 AM]
| Date: 03/16/12 07:49:54 AM]
| Date: 03/08/12 08:19:59 PM]
| Date: 03/12/12 01:46:33 PM]
| Date: 03/09/12 03:42:14 AM]
| Date: 03/09/12 07:51:50 AM]
| Date: 03/09/12 12:59:43 PM]
| Date: 03/10/12 12:42:07 PM]
