X-bit labs

Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX Details Unveiled.

Category: Video

by Anton Shilov

[ 10/23/2006 | 02:31 PM ]

An Asian web-site has published several details concerning Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX graphics card from Asustek Computer that do not reveal any performance or micro-architectural peculiarities of the chip code-named G80, but do reveal some information regarding the details of graphics cards powered by Nvidia’s forthcoming graphics processing unit (GPU).

The pictures published by MyChat web-site expose that the GeForce 8800 GTX-based graphics card from Asus looks a little different compared to alleged Nvidia G80 picture published earlier. While the board does look like a large one, it does not feature liquid cooling system as well as has elements placed in a little bit different way compared to the previous version.

According to the web-site, which claims that the information comes from sources within Asus, one of the world’s largest maker of graphics cards, Nvidia’s yet-to-be-announced G80 graphics chip will support Microsoft DirectX 10 Shader Model 4.0, Nvidia’s GigaThread technology, Nvidia Quantum Effects technology, floating point high dynamic-range (HDR) lighting and so on. 

Asus, the web-site claims, will release two versions of the GeForce 8800-series graphics cards: EN8800GTX/HTDP/768M and EN8800GTS/HTDP/640M. The naming scheme implies that there will be two versions of the G80: the GeForce 8800 GTX and the GeForce 8800 GTS which will be different not only in terms of performance, but also in terms of installed amount of memory and interface: the GTX boards will carry 768MB with 384-bit interface, whereas the GTX cards will have 640MB with 320-bit interface. The higher-end model 8800 GTX will have its chip clocked at 575MHz and GDDR3 memory operating at 1.80GHz.

It is uncertain why Asustek and Nvidia use GDDR3 memory for the new top-of-the-range products, as GDDR3 memory operating at 1.70GHz and above is pretty rare, whereas GDDR4 memory operates at 2.0GHz and beyond easily. 

Specifications of the G80 chip are not clear. Some sources indicate that Nvidia’s first DirectX 10 chip will incorporate 48 pixel shader processors and an unknown number of vertex shader/geometry shader processors. Other, however, claims that the G80 has 32 pixel and 16 vertex and geometry shader processors. Yet another source has indicated that the G80 will have unified shader architecture and will consist of 700 million transistors.

Asustek Computer and Nvidia Corp. did not comment on the news-story.