Modular video cards!!!

[x1600c]

what about modular video cards where you have a basic board with all the SMT resistors and caps as well as the powersupply caps. then you have the GPU in a ZIF socket. and the RAM is held in a similar system but in pairs. (Ideal use for this is the 6800 because of the amount of room on the PCB). This should allow greater flexability. it should also be cheaper in the long run.. instead of changing the whole card, just change the gpu and maybe the ram... instead of RMAing the entire unit just RMA the GPU-RAM pair... Is it possible and is it practical?

 

[mavalpha]

Not practical, don't know about possible. Different generations of graphics cards require substantially different PCB designs, to minimize interference/increase integrity in higher frequency RAM/higher complexity tracings, as well as bus width (128-bit vs 256-bit), for example. Also, just as the number of pins in CPUs goes up with each generation, the package in graphics cards also changes from one generation to the next.

 

[lithium726]

yeah, but this would make an upgrade from say a 6800gt to an ultra easy and cheap - or upgrading the ram on it if a new game needs it

i doubt itll happen though

 

[DiscoStu]

That would raise manufacturing costs and lower profit ... ATi/Nvidia like the current business model of throwing out one's video card every 6 months.

 

[bountyhunter]

yeah, but this would make an upgrade from say a 6800gt to an ultra easy and cheap - or upgrading the ram on it if a new game needs it

i doubt itll happen though

what kind of upgrade would that be?

 

[lithium726]

what kind of upgrade would that be?

they use roughly the smae PCB, so if this were just standardized you could take a 6800GT GPU out of the ZIF and put in an ultra chip - much easier than upgrading the entire card. this however, is not practical to gfx card companies, there are just too many variables in different models.

 

[Chris_Morley]

what about modular video cards where you have a basic board with all the SMT resistors and caps as well as the powersupply caps. then you have the GPU in a ZIF socket. and the RAM is held in a similar system but in pairs. (Ideal use for this is the 6800 because of the amount of room on the PCB). This should allow greater flexability. it should also be cheaper in the long run.. instead of changing the whole card, just change the gpu and maybe the ram... instead of RMAing the entire unit just RMA the GPU-RAM pair... Is it possible and is it practical?

There's been a thread like this at least once a year for the past 6 years...

 

[Steel Chicken]

That would raise manufacturing costs and lower profit ... ATi/Nvidia like the current business model of throwing out one's video card every 6 months.

if you call taking your older card and selling it too someone with less money "throwing it out" I would agree

ive never thrown out a working 3D card, always sold em, or kept em if they still work.
I still got some monster 3D cards laying around. Sold my geforce 3 and 9800 when i upgraded.

 

[ScHpAnKy]

they use roughly the smae PCB, so if this were just standardized you could take a 6800GT GPU out of the ZIF and put in an ultra chip - much easier than upgrading the entire card. this however, is not practical to gfx card companies, there are just too many variables in different models.

The 6800GT has the exact same PCB as the Ultra, only difference is the addition of some power circuity near the tail end to account for an extra molex (which is really only used on the ultra extreme)

 

[lithium726]

The 6800GT has the exact same PCB as the Ultra, only difference is the addition of some power circuity near the tail end to account for an extra molex (which is really only used on the ultra extreme)

and that is what i was talking about perhaps i used the wrong wording, but you get the point

the layout would have to be standardized to allow for the Ultra to work.

 

[ScHpAnKy]

if you call taking your older card and selling it too someone with less money "throwing it out" I would agree

ive never thrown out a working 3D card, always sold em, or kept em if they still work.
I still got some monster 3D cards laying around. Sold my geforce 3 and 9800 when i upgraded.

I still have my beastly Voodoo 3 3300

and that is what i was talking about perhaps i used the wrong wording, but you get the point

the layout would have to be standardized to allow for the Ultra to work.

Oh, okay.

 

[Blakk]

you would be creating a mother board on top of the motherboard. an idea i like alot.
ill bet ati and nvidia would do it. would cause an immediat drop in card prices too. ati would only have to worry about the board,
mobo makers would jump at making a mobo vidcard
proc ram makers would beaboe to seel more products...i like this alot

 

[lithium726]

i highly doubt ati or nvidia would do it. why?

socketed memory would increase latency - traces going directly to the pins of hte memory is more effcient... althought doesnt matter as much for the GPU

the standardization of the cards would be costly - they save money by not putting the same stuff on the GT that they do onthe Ultra, so that would end up costing them more

 

[TheGamerZ]

It wouldn't work. Each GPU requires a PCB unique to its requirements. ie: trace design, resistor type/placement, capacitor type/placement

It just wouldnt work. And to MAKE it work, would require A LOT of expensive hardware archtecture changes. It's not worth it.

 

[x1600c]

does anyone know where I can get the circuit diagrams for the 6800 any type?

 

[perp]

give nvidia a blast. they would be happy to help you out.

very truly yours,
politenessman