G80 De-Mystified; GeForce 8800GTX/GT

[Capt Caveman]

http://www.vr-zone.com/?i=4007

* Unified Shader Architecture
* Support FP16 HDR+MSAA
* Support GDDR4 memories
* Close to 700M transistors (G71 - 278M / G70 - 302M)
* New AA mode : VCAA
* Core clock scalable up to 1.5GHz
* Shader Peformance : 2x Pixel / 12x Vertex over G71
* 8 TCPs & 128 stream processors
* Much more efficient than traditional architecture
* 384-bit memory interface (256-bit+128-bit)
* 768MB memory size (512MB+256MB)
* Two models at launch : GeForce 8800GTX and GeForce 8800GT
* GeForce 8800GTX : 7 TCPs chip, 384-bit memory interface, hybrid water/fan cooler, water cooling for overclocking. US$649
* GeForce 8800GT : 6 TCPs chip, 320-bit memory interface, fan cooler. US$449-499

Our friends have gotten some information of the upcoming NVIDIA G80 and it appears that G80 gonna be unified shader after all. It should be pretty close to the truth and it explained the mystery of the strange DRAM capacities that INQ reported previously. Expect G80 to be out somewhere in mid November along with Kentsfield.

 

[Elfear]

Hmm. Interesting but the 700M transistors has me a little skeptical. If the other items are even close to true, this will be a monster card.

 

[vmsein]

This is a bit of a departure from all previously posted speculation. So now we are to believe that the G80 will sport a unified shader architecture?

 

[Ulfhednar]

If that's real, then this X1900XT 512MB might be my final ATI purchase for a while.

Nvidia have been disgraceful the last year or two in terms of price/performance ratio, in my opinion, and they have missed out on important features that have only kept ATI in my favour (HDR+AA for one.) It has been assumed all along that Nvidia was not going to bother with unified shader architecture for a long time too, and this pretty much decided for me that my next upgrade would be ATI again.

I don't plan to upgrade it for a year though, so I'll see how the entire situation pans out.

 

[josh6079]

Isn't that the place that first posted the X1950XTX killing the GX2 in all games?

They're also going to coppy the Sapphire Toxic X1900XTX's cooling or something? If that's true the I guess G80 will be about as hot as an X1900.

I'll believe all of this when I see the product.

If true though, looks good.

 

[Gstanfor]

The article certainly has the B3D boys in a lather, thats for sure. I'm not too sure it demystifies much at this stage though, quite the opposite, really.

Current theory is that unified refers to both the VS/GS and PS units running the same command set, and that G80 actually has two busses, one "normal: 256 bit bus and a 128 or 64 bit (dependant on g80 model) bus that deals exclusively with geometry data. It's an interesting theory and makes a fair bit of sense, but is hugely complex.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

700million trannies (thats alot of flange) seems way too high !

if true the 384bit memory interface is a welcome increase....we've been stuck on 256 for ages!

and yeah 1.5Ghz core clock? maybe if your computer is station in space, im sure 3-4K would keep it cool

and whats a TCP?

(to me TCP is that ointment that you put on cuts to disinfect them...stings like a bitch tho!)

 

[Genx87]

Ill believe it when I see it. 1.5Ghz clock?

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
http://www.vr-zone.com/?i=4007

* Unified Shader Architecture
* Support FP16 HDR+MSAA
* Support GDDR4 memories
* Close to 700M transistors (G71 - 278M / G70 - 302M)
* New AA mode : VCAA
* Core clock scalable up to 1.5GHz
* Shader Peformance : 2x Pixel / 12x Vertex over G71
* 8 TCPs & 128 stream processors
* Much more efficient than traditional architecture
* 384-bit memory interface (256-bit+128-bit)
* 768MB memory size (512MB+256MB)
* Two models at launch : GeForce 8800GTX and GeForce 8800GT
* GeForce 8800GTX : 7 TCPs chip, 384-bit memory interface, hybrid water/fan cooler, water cooling for overclocking. US$649
* GeForce 8800GT : 6 TCPs chip, 320-bit memory interface, fan cooler. US$449-499

Our friends have gotten some information of the upcoming NVIDIA G80 and it appears that G80 gonna be unified shader after all. It should be pretty close to the truth and it explained the mystery of the strange DRAM capacities that INQ reported previously. Expect G80 to be out somewhere in mid November along with Kentsfield.

i remember G80 wasnt gonna be unified, maybe the delay has been NV going oh ******! get the pens out boys! and re designing it to get with the times lol

i dunno what a TCP is mind.

and this memory bus, you say 256 plus 128, is that to explain how they get a 384bit bus or is there like 512mem on a 256bit bus, with a seperate 256mem on a 128 bus? or is it just 768mem on a 384bit bus?

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally posted by: josh6079
Isn't that the place that first posted the X1950XTX killing the GX2 in all games?

They're also going to coppy the Sapphire Toxic X1900XTX's cooling or something? If that's true the I guess G80 will be about as hot as an X1900.

I'll believe all of this when I see the product.

If true though, looks good.

i wouldnt copy that cards cooler.... it was pants.

 

[JackBurton]

I'll wait for the final release and benchmarks to comment.

 

[TanisHalfElven]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
http://www.vr-zone.com/?i=4007

* Unified Shader Architecture
* Support FP16 HDR+MSAA
* Support GDDR4 memories
* Close to 700M transistors (G71 - 278M / G70 - 302M)
* New AA mode : VCAA
* Core clock scalable up to 1.5GHz
* Shader Peformance : 2x Pixel / 12x Vertex over G71
* 8 TCPs & 128 stream processors
* Much more efficient than traditional architecture
* 384-bit memory interface (256-bit+128-bit)
* 768MB memory size (512MB+256MB)
* Two models at launch : GeForce 8800GTX and GeForce 8800GT
* GeForce 8800GTX : 7 TCPs chip, 384-bit memory interface, hybrid water/fan cooler, water cooling for overclocking. US$649
* GeForce 8800GT : 6 TCPs chip, 320-bit memory interface, fan cooler. US$449-499

Our friends have gotten some information of the upcoming NVIDIA G80 and it appears that G80 gonna be unified shader after all. It should be pretty close to the truth and it explained the mystery of the strange DRAM capacities that INQ reported previously. Expect G80 to be out somewhere in mid November along with Kentsfield.

3xcore clock increases only 2x pixel shading power ?
does anyone else see soemtihng wrong with that.

 

[JAG87]

wow, I could have written better specs after waking up this morning.

 

[Wreckage]

If they can get the G80 to market before the holiday season (early November), they will be well ahead of the game.

 

[Trey22]

The GT at $449 is still out of the range I'll pay for a vidcard.

 

[Bateluer]

If those prices are to believed, its way too pricey. 650 for a single card, bah, nuts to that.

 

[SpeedZealot369]

If this is true, time for external power bricks

-SZ

 

[Ulfhednar]

Originally posted by: SpeedZealot369
If this is true, time for external power bricks

That rumour is already in full circulation and the flames are burning ever hotter due to this article from June 5th.

http://www.anandtech.com/tradeshows/showdoc.aspx?i=2770

ATI and Nvidia can bite me if this comes to pass, I will buy a Wii.

 

[Modular]

Originally posted by: Ulfhednar
Nvidia have been disgraceful the last year or two in terms of price/performance ratio

?

My 6600gt still plays BF2 on all Medium, 2xQ AA and 16X AF at an average of 60 FPS....it was 120.00 over a year ago when I bought it. I'm not sure that many people will agree with you at all on this one. Actually, the other way around is moreso the truth. Look at the X1600 POS.

ATi and nVidia always produce monster cards that cost way too much $$ for a year. It's the "value" price-point that really makes them the money. And nVidia trounces ATi in that price point yearly (150 - 250).
You can get a 7600gt for 114.99 right now on newegg....

 

[Capt Caveman]

I know it's the Inquirer but they posted yesterday about the R600 consuming 250w - http://theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=34446

 

[Ulfhednar]

Originally posted by: Modular
My 6600gt still plays BF2 on all Medium, 2xQ AA and 16X AF at an average of 60 FPS....it was 120.00 over a year ago when I bought it. I'm not sure that many people will agree with you at all on this one. Actually, the other way around is moreso the truth. Look at the X1600 POS.

ATi and nVidia always produce monster cards that cost way too much $$ for a year. It's the "value" price-point that really makes them the money. And nVidia trounces ATi in that price point yearly (150 - 250).

You can get a 7600gt for 114.99 right now on newegg....

Maybe I should have specified that I wasn't talking about what are now low-end budget cards. I was talking about cards like the 7900GT, X1800XT, X1900XT, 7900GTX, and 7950GX2.

I don't know about the US, but here in the UK the 7900GT costs almost as much as an X1900XT and the 7900GTX is ridiculously expensive. It's ridiculous and Nvidia cannot compete. I won't even mention the 7950GX2, it's just god awful value for money.

7600GT 256MB = £100
X1900GT 256MB = £130
X1800XT 256MB = £140
7900GT 256MB = £170
7950GT 256MB = £175
X1900XT 256MB = £175
7950GT 512MB = £205
X1900XT 512MB = £220
X1900XT-X 512MB = £250
7900GTX 512MB = £320
X1950XT-X 512MB = £320 (rip-off)

This is the sort of pricing we've seen for the last year or two, Nvidia cannot compete and from what I've heard people saying on this forum the X1900s are the best bang-for-buck going over there too beyond all reasonable doubt.

 

[fliguy84]

Hmm VCAA... yummy. Eh, what is it?

 

[Wreckage]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
I know it's the Inquirer but they posted yesterday about the R600 consuming 250w - http://theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=34446

250W :Q

My whole HTPC with a 6600GT, P4, 1GB RAM, etc. does not take that much.

If that is true, that card will be a major failure.

 

[ShadowOfMyself]

Originally posted by: Wreckage

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
I know it's the Inquirer but they posted yesterday about the R600 consuming 250w - http://theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=34446

250W :Q

My whole HTPC with a 6600GT, P4, 1GB RAM, etc. does not take that much.

If that is true, that card will be a major failure.

So will G80

 

[R3MF]

lets wait and see............