Nvidia to launch DirectX 10 chip in mid-November

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Marvelous

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http://www.digitimes.com/mobos/a20061002A2007.html

Nvidia is expected to announce the world's first DirectX 10-compliant graphics chip, the GeForce 8800 (codenamed G80), in the middle of November, graphics card makers revealed. However, despite the advantage of early launch, demand for the new graphics processing unit (GPU) will depend on penetration rate of the new Windows Vista OS and availability of new PC games supporting DirectX 10, the makers indicated.

With Shader Model 4.0 support, DirectX 10 will improve visualization and rendering capabilities utilized in PC games, also reducing CPU overhead, according to the makers. It means that game developers will get additional space to make their games more sophisticated, said the makers.

The makers expressed the doubt that ATI's next-generation R600 chip, which is also expected to support DirectX 10, may appear in the market before 2007. Nevertheless, ATI will continue benefit from its close relationships with Microsoft around the Xbox 360, the makers said.

Since DirectX 10 is positioned as a Vista-only solution, with presumably no ability to work with previous Windows versions, Nvidia's move to launch the GeForce 8800 in November should rather be considered as a symbolic step, said industry sources. So far, Microsoft only promised that Windows Vista will run DirectX 9.0, allowing to later upgrade it to DirectX 10 via Windows Update, the sources indicated. When Microsoft releases a DirectX 10-capable OS, ATI will perhaps catch up with the competition, the sources added.
 
Selling both of my brand new 7950 gx2's right now for this puppy :D although I heard the price was going to be 650 for the gtx and 500 for the gt, thats damn expensive.
 
If nvidia follows their pattern from the last generation then they will debut a GTX flagship card first then later a GX2 new flagship card?

When do you think they will come out with a GX2 version?
 
StalkerZER0 said:
If nvidia follows their pattern from the last generation then they will debut a GTX flagship card first then later a GX2 new flagship card?

When do you think they will come out with a GX2 version?
Click to expand...

If they do, it will be about six months to a year after the launch of the GTX version. They'll do that as a product refresh. Though they might just do a 8850GTX instead. The GX2 gets it's name by having dual 7900GTX GPU's on one card. (Though they are clocked down somewhat)
 
Marvelous said:
http://www.digitimes.com/mobos/a20061002A2007.html

Nvidia is expected to announce the world's first DirectX 10-compliant graphics chip, the GeForce 8800 (codenamed G80), in the middle of November, graphics card makers revealed. However, despite the advantage of early launch, demand for the new graphics processing unit (GPU) will depend on penetration rate of the new Windows Vista OS and availability of new PC games supporting DirectX 10, the makers indicated.

With Shader Model 4.0 support, DirectX 10 will improve visualization and rendering capabilities utilized in PC games, also reducing CPU overhead, according to the makers. It means that game developers will get additional space to make their games more sophisticated, said the makers.

The makers expressed the doubt that ATI's next-generation R600 chip, which is also expected to support DirectX 10, may appear in the market before 2007. Nevertheless, ATI will continue benefit from its close relationships with Microsoft around the Xbox 360, the makers said.

Since DirectX 10 is positioned as a Vista-only solution, with presumably no ability to work with previous Windows versions, Nvidia's move to launch the GeForce 8800 in November should rather be considered as a symbolic step, said industry sources. So far, Microsoft only promised that Windows Vista will run DirectX 9.0, allowing to later upgrade it to DirectX 10 via Windows Update, the sources indicated. When Microsoft releases a DirectX 10-capable OS, ATI will perhaps catch up with the competition, the sources added.
Click to expand...

As far as rumors go, that won't be a problem, since it's rumored that at first, the G80 will mainly be a "Super" DX9 card, with DX10 capabilities. So until Vista launches, the G80 should destroy anything in DX9. After its launch, a refresh version should follow, to further improve DX10 performance. That's a very smart move IMHO. They take over DX9, while Vista is not out and when it's out (and ATI releases R600), they'll have time to do a refresh and improve G80's performance in DX10 (if needed, when compared to R600).
Of course this is all based on rumors, so we'll see how it actually goes.
 
Dan_D said:
If they do, it will be about six months to a year after the launch of the GTX version. They'll do that as a product refresh. Though they might just do a 8850GTX instead. The GX2 gets it's name by having dual 7900GTX GPU's on one card. (Though they are clocked down somewhat)
Click to expand...

Well alrighty what about an "8850 gtx" type of card? When do you think they would debut that after the regular 8800? Perhaps they would debut it along with the 8800?
 
Marvelous said:
Since DirectX 10 is positioned as a Vista-only solution, with presumably no ability to work with previous Windows versions, Nvidia's move to launch the GeForce 8800 in November should rather be considered as a symbolic step
Click to expand...

This could be taken to mean that the 8800 will not work for XP or previous OSes. This seems to be a silly thing for Nvidia to do, so I'll lay my money on backwards compatibility, but I'm still not sure. Any confirmation that the 8800 will work on XP?
 
There's actually some potentially disturbing language here, which I will attempt to translate into plain English.

Marvelous said:
http://www.digitimes.com/mobos/a20061002A2007.html

Nvidia is expected to announce the world's first DirectX 10-compliant graphics chip, the GeForce 8800 (codenamed G80), in the middle of November, graphics card makers revealed. However, despite the advantage of early launch, demand for the new graphics processing unit (GPU) will depend on penetration rate of the new Windows Vista OS and availability of new PC games supporting DirectX 10, the makers indicated.
Click to expand...
A lot of people echo this untrue statement, but now we have "the makers" (which I presume to be NVidia) saying it. If the card is a beast in DX9, then it most certainly will not "depend on penetration rate" of Vista and DX10 games. So if NVidia says that it does depend on those things, that might mean that it won't be the DX9 beast we thought. Perhaps it will only equal or slightly exceed the 7950 GX2 in DX9 performance for a higher price tag and power consumption. It's also possible that "the makers" meant someone from a card maker that might not have known what they were talking about, or that the reporter just plain misinterpreted (it wasn't a quoted statement, after all).

With Shader Model 4.0 support, DirectX 10 will improve visualization and rendering capabilities utilized in PC games, also reducing CPU overhead, according to the makers. It means that game developers will get additional space to make their games more sophisticated, said the makers.

The makers expressed the doubt that ATI's next-generation R600 chip, which is also expected to support DirectX 10, may appear in the market before 2007. Nevertheless, ATI will continue benefit from its close relationships with Microsoft around the Xbox 360, the makers said.
Click to expand...
Juding from the statements about ATI in these paragraphs, "the makers" probably refers to board manufacturers, which would explain the possible mistake in the previous paragraph.

Since DirectX 10 is positioned as a Vista-only solution, with presumably no ability to work with previous Windows versions, Nvidia's move to launch the GeForce 8800 in November should rather be considered as a symbolic step, said industry sources. So far, Microsoft only promised that Windows Vista will run DirectX 9.0, allowing to later upgrade it to DirectX 10 via Windows Update, the sources indicated. When Microsoft releases a DirectX 10-capable OS, ATI will perhaps catch up with the competition, the sources added.
Click to expand...
Now it's "industry sources" instead of "the makers". The reporter is probably one of those idiots who thinks that there is no reason for a new DX10-capable card before DX10 itself is released and games start using it, even if that card is also faster in DX9. "Industry sources" is probably code for his or her own editorialising, or perhaps it means a bunch of people on forums.

So there are a few possible things we can take away from this:

1. The new card won't be a DX9 beast. With the high transistor count, and the fact that it looks like the 384-bit memory bus is pretty much confirmed by the spy pics, I find this highly unlikely.

2. The reporter's sources are employees of board manufacturers who don't know what they're talking about and think that there couldn't possibly be any reason for people to buy a DX10 capable card before DX10 comes out, nevermind that every new feature ever made has debuted on hardware before being supported by software.

3. The reporter is an idiot, and his or her "sources" were actually himself or herself.
 
Jasonx82 said:
same here! :D
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Won't work.
Aren't those step-up programs only good for like 3 months? Nvidia and Ati like to make a habit of missing their launch dates months at a time. :(
 
Draco-1 said:
This could be taken to mean that the 8800 will not work for XP or previous OSes. This seems to be a silly thing for Nvidia to do, so I'll lay my money on backwards compatibility, but I'm still not sure. Any confirmation that the 8800 will work on XP?
Click to expand...

I have no idea where you got this idea from. Have you ever seen a video card that wouldn't work with previous OSes (as long as the company is still writing drivers for that OS, and even then thereis the generic VGA driver which will work)?

DX9 cards are capable of rendering DX8...

Anyway, Nvidia wouldn't release a product in Novemeber if it wouldn't work for anyone until January (the earliest we will see Vista)!
 
hmm.. putting the card out before windows vista is retail seems kind of pointless to me , but as they stated its more of a symbolic move... I plan on getting one but like one poster said before, not until I have a copy of vista in my hands.
 
"Symbolic moves" are important. You want good consumer perception of your company. If you have the ultimate graphics solution, even if it's premature for its marketed purpose, consumer perception goes up, and it will go up tremendously if nVidia can turn their image quality woes around with G80.

Ford made the GT not because they wanted to tap into a new market, or even because it was needed, but because the GT would turn consumer perception of FoMoCo around in very short order which was desperately needed.
 
phide said:
Ford made the GT not because they wanted to tap into a new market, or even because it was needed, but because the GT would turn consumer perception of FoMoCo around in very short order which was desperately needed.
Click to expand...

Nvidia doesn't really have any bad consumer perception, so this is irrelevant.
 
J-Mag said:
Nvidia doesn't really have any bad consumer perception, so this is irrelevant.
Click to expand...


Not "bad" but people are mindful that they may make another "FX" type of card and that would be a fiasco.
 
TheBluePill said:
Not "bad" but people are mindful that they may make another "FX" type of card and that would be a fiasco.
Click to expand...

I bet Nvidia is far more concerned about creating a new FX fiasco than the consumer is. We don't have millions at stake ;)
 
This could give them a big head start over ATI. Kind of like the 7800 vs X1800.
 
J-Mag said:
Nvidia doesn't really have any bad consumer perception, so this is irrelevant.
Click to expand...
Nonsense. They don't need "bad" consumer perception to improve consumer perception. And believe me, there are individuals here that would not agree with you.

These high-end cards are very important, and not only to those in that potential buying market.
 
Just because the card is the first to support dx10 does not mean that it won't kill in dx9 performance. DX9 cards do really well with DX8 games, etc... It needs Vista only for DX10 support of some bullet points/marchitecture checkboxes, not because it won't properly/efficiently support previous DX features.
 
phide said:
They don't need "bad" consumer perception to improve consumer perception.
Click to expand...

True, but comparing to Ford's GT situation doesn't make as much sense, because Ford has more competitors in the same marke space. Nvidia only has one. When a consumer has limited options company perception doesn't have as much of an impact (just look at Microsoft).

phide said:
And believe me, there are individuals here that would not agree with you.
Click to expand...

LOL! I am sure of that! However, I think you can find individuals to disagree with anything, especially around here.

phide said:
These high-end cards are very important, and not only to those in that potential buying market.
Click to expand...

I agree, there is a trickle down where even mid range cards are considered superior if the high end card bests the competitor's.
 
Krenum said:
hmm.. putting the card out before windows vista is retail seems kind of pointless to me , but as they stated its more of a symbolic move... I plan on getting one but like one poster said before, not until I have a copy of vista in my hands.
Click to expand...

ATI was months ahead with a DX9 card before DX9 came out.... We all know who won that first gen DX9 round....

Whoever has their card out first for developers to bang on with their code is going to have an advantage.
 
J-Mag said:
True, but comparing to Ford's GT situation doesn't make as much sense, because Ford has more competitors in the same marke space. Nvidia only has one. When a consumer has limited options company perception doesn't have as much of an impact (just look at Microsoft).
Click to expand...
Well, my analogies are rarely very good, and you're right concerning Ford, but nVidia is also no Microsoft. In terms of the products themselves, both ATi and nVidia are releasing extremely comparable parts, and the market is starting to balance between the two manufacturers. In any case, G80 should give nVidia good footing in the road through the next generation.

For the most part, I think we have G80 pegged down and we know what to expect. What we know little about is ATi's contender, and I'd like to see a little more dirt on that.
 
We know it will be DX10 and Unified Shader architecture, that's a given. Rumor has it pegged at 96 shader processors which can do vertex, geometry and pixel.
 
phide said:
Well, my analogies are rarely very good, and you're right concerning Ford, but nVidia is also no Microsoft.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I wasn't comparing Nvidia to MS, just using the Software giant as an example of not needing good company perception. From the feel I get they are the most detested tech company, yet have the higher market share in their space of any other tech related company I am aware of.

phide said:
For the most part, I think we have G80 pegged down and we know what to expect. What we know little about is ATi's contender, and I'd like to see a little more dirt on that.
Click to expand...

Personally, I want to see the hardware in the hands of a relatively unbiased reviewer (it's hard to tell these days who is) before I make any conclusions.
 
I want it in my hands too, this next generation has me very excited, it has been a long time since we have seen a major technology change in the graphics world, since the intro of DX9 video cards it has only been small increments in evolution (well even from DX8 and up actually), I'm starting to think maybe this next gen is a "revolution" in GPU technology and capability, we'll see.
 
StalkerZER0 said:
Won't work.
Aren't those step-up programs only good for like 3 months? Nvidia and Ati like to make a habit of missing their launch dates months at a time. :(
Click to expand...

my last 2 nvidia cards (7800GTX, 7800GTX 512) were available at launch... so ill assume they'll be ready @ time of launch :)
 
Brent_Justice said:
I want it in my hands too
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Hopefully you're going to be given enough time to do the evaluation the way you'd like.
 
StalkerZER0 said:
Well alrighty what about an "8850 gtx" type of card? When do you think they would debut that after the regular 8800? Perhaps they would debut it along with the 8800?
Click to expand...

Six months tops. I seriously doubt they'd get launched together. Plus the 8850 is likely going to be a refresh if nVidia sticks to the same habbits they had during the 7900 series lifespan.

Jasonx82 said:
my last 2 nvidia cards (7800GTX, 7800GTX 512) were available at launch... so ill assume they'll be ready @ time of launch :)
Click to expand...

They were available at launch. I purchased two 7800GTX's the day before they launched. We had them in stock and waiting at the CompUSA I worked at part time.
 
Dan_D said:
Six months tops. I seriously doubt they'd get launched together. Plus the 8850 is likely going to be a refresh if nVidia sticks to the same habbits they had during the 7900 series lifespan.



They were available at launch. I purchased two 7800GTX's the day before they launched. We had them in stock and waiting at the CompUSA I worked at part time.
Click to expand...

Wait, please clarify. If your saying an 8850 will come out in six months after the 8800 then what about the gx2 version?
 
Hmm...let's see..if the G80 comes out in Nov/Dec time + 6 months for the refresh (8850)...that's June of next year. June...makes me think of Q2 '07... and that makes me think of the time frame AMD's K8L is supposed to be out... :)

Wouldn't it be nice if a G80 refresh (that's made on a 65nm process hopefully) came out the same time as the K8L's?

I guess I can still dream...
 
Dan_D said:
They were available at launch. I purchased two 7800GTX's the day before they launched. We had them in stock and waiting at the CompUSA I worked at part time.
Click to expand...

You worked at compusa? Cool.. I always wanted to work there when I was a kid..
 
Brent_Justice said:
We know it will be DX10 and Unified Shader architecture, that's a given. Rumor has it pegged at 96 shader processors which can do vertex, geometry and pixel.
Click to expand...

Has it been confirmed that the G80 uses a unified shader architecture? I seem to recall last spring that Nvidia themselves said that it is hybrid fixed / unified architecture, yet the latest rumours seem to say otherwise. Like others have said, I can't wait to see the final specs for the card. :)
 
Brent_Justice said:
I want it in my hands too, this next generation has me very excited, it has been a long time since we have seen a major technology change in the graphics world, since the intro of DX9 video cards it has only been small increments in evolution (well even from DX8 and up actually), I'm starting to think maybe this next gen is a "revolution" in GPU technology and capability, we'll see.
Click to expand...
So, are you thinking the kind of revolution we had with the original GeForce? Now THAT would be sweet!
 
EternityZX9 said:
Hmm...let's see..if the G80 comes out in Nov/Dec time + 6 months for the refresh (8850)...that's June of next year.
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Hate to be nitpicky here, but the G80 refresh will probably be called the 8900, while a potential second-refresh would likely be the 8950. May/June's a realistic expectation for a refresh of some sort, though.

Too much damn refreshing and too damn many numbers, I say. Put your nuts in one basket and slingshot that sucker hard into the market and get it over with.
 
Marvelous said:
You worked at compusa? Cool.. I always wanted to work there when I was a kid..
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I worked at CompUSA for 6 months in 2000, hated every minute of it. I worked the upgrades counter. I quit.
 
Commander Suzdal said:
So, are you thinking the kind of revolution we had with the original GeForce? Now THAT would be sweet!
Click to expand...

Perhaps a good analogy would be the kind of revolution we saw moving from a fixed function pipeline to programmable pipeline (shaders). I could be talking out my butt though, I honestly don't know yet, I just have a feeling in my gut (could be gas though). :D
 
Brent_Justice said:
Perhaps a good analogy would be the kind of revolution we saw moving from a fixed function pipeline to programmable pipeline (shaders). I could be talking out my butt though, I honestly don't know yet, I just have a feeling in my gut (could be gas though). :D
Click to expand...

Ewie..
 
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