A leading graphics company is preparing another DirectX 9.0 graphics processing unit to enter the scene shortly. A new GeForce FX technology based on the design principles unveiled a year ago is about to be announced weeks before a new breed of NVIDIA’s graphics chip sees the light of the day.

Santa Clara, California-based NVIDIA Corporation was months behind the arch-rival ATI Technologies with its NV30 also known as the GeForce FX technology. Despite of the fact that the majority of expensive DirectX 9.0 compliant graphics cards usually acquired by computer enthusiasts sold last year were based on VPUs from ATI Technologies, NVIDIA seems to be making a good progress in entry-level and mainstream market segments with its GeForce FX 5200, 5600 and 5700 technologies, which is indisputably a success. Additionally, the company wants to address more market segments with very thoroughly tailored graphics processors to offer attractive price performance ratio for its customers.

Sources with knowledge of the matter indicated that NVIDIA wants to deliver another flavour of the GeForce FX technology to the marketplace addressing its already heavily penetrated market segments. The firm is set to deliver the GeForce FX 5500 shortly, weeks before the next-generation NV40 graphics processors will also soon hit the market.

The FX 5500 is expected to fight in entry-level/mainstream market segments before the lower-cost versions of the NV40 emerge in mid-2004. The newcomer may deliver some exciting speed boosts for the targeted market segments, something NVIDIA’s customers have been waiting eagerly. The GeForce FX 5500 chip may also improve the margins of NVIDIA because of improved GPU design and/or manufacturing technology.

NVIDIA’s officials declined to comment on the story.