Wednesday, March 7th 2012
GeForce GTX 680 Features Speed Boost, Arrives This Month, etc., etc.
Here are some key bits of information concerning the upcoming GeForce GTX 680, a performance single-GPU graphics card based on the 28 nm GK104 GPU by NVIDIA. The information, at face value, is credible, because we're hearing that a large contingent of the media that finds interest in the GPU industry, is attending the Game Developers Conference, where it could interact with NVIDIA, on the sidelines. The source, however, is citing people it spoke to at CeBIT.
First, and most interesting: with some models of the GeForce 600, NVIDIA will introduce a load-based clock speed-boost feature (think: Intel Turbo Boost), which steps up clock speeds of the graphics card when subjected to heavy loads. If there's a particularly stressing 3D scene for the GPU to render, it overclocks itself, and sees the scene through. This ensures higher minimum and average frame-rates.
Second, you probably already know this, but GK104 does indeed feature 1,536 CUDA cores, which lend it a strong number-crunching muscle that helps with shading, post-processing, and GPGPU.
Third, the many-fold increase in CUDA cores doesn't necessarily amount to a linear increase in performance, when compared to the previous generation. The GeForce GTX 680 is about 10% faster than Radeon HD 7970, in Battlefield 3. In the same comparison, the GTX 680 is slower than HD 7970 at 3DMark 11.
Fourth, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 will very much launch in this month. It won't exactly be a paper-launch, small quantities will be available for purchase, and only through select AIC partners. Quantities will pick up in later months.
Fifth, there's talk of GK107, a mid-range GPU based on the Kepler architecture, being launched in April.
Next up, NVIDIA is preparing a dual-GPU graphics card based on the GK104, it is slated for May, NVIDIA will use Graphics Technology Conference (GTC), as its launch-pad.
Lastly, GK110, the crown-jewel of the Kepler GPU family, will feature as many as 2,304 CUDA cores. There's absolutely no word on its whereabouts. The fact that NVIDIA is working on a dual-GK104 graphics card indicates that we won't see this chip very soon.
Source:
Heise.de
First, and most interesting: with some models of the GeForce 600, NVIDIA will introduce a load-based clock speed-boost feature (think: Intel Turbo Boost), which steps up clock speeds of the graphics card when subjected to heavy loads. If there's a particularly stressing 3D scene for the GPU to render, it overclocks itself, and sees the scene through. This ensures higher minimum and average frame-rates.
Second, you probably already know this, but GK104 does indeed feature 1,536 CUDA cores, which lend it a strong number-crunching muscle that helps with shading, post-processing, and GPGPU.
Third, the many-fold increase in CUDA cores doesn't necessarily amount to a linear increase in performance, when compared to the previous generation. The GeForce GTX 680 is about 10% faster than Radeon HD 7970, in Battlefield 3. In the same comparison, the GTX 680 is slower than HD 7970 at 3DMark 11.
Fourth, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 will very much launch in this month. It won't exactly be a paper-launch, small quantities will be available for purchase, and only through select AIC partners. Quantities will pick up in later months.
Fifth, there's talk of GK107, a mid-range GPU based on the Kepler architecture, being launched in April.
Next up, NVIDIA is preparing a dual-GPU graphics card based on the GK104, it is slated for May, NVIDIA will use Graphics Technology Conference (GTC), as its launch-pad.
Lastly, GK110, the crown-jewel of the Kepler GPU family, will feature as many as 2,304 CUDA cores. There's absolutely no word on its whereabouts. The fact that NVIDIA is working on a dual-GK104 graphics card indicates that we won't see this chip very soon.
105 Comments on GeForce GTX 680 Features Speed Boost, Arrives This Month, etc., etc.
also... whatever happened to "CRUSHING THE 7970?" 10% faster and then slower? That hype.
IMO its basically saying here's a 750 hp engine that's listed as 650 hp but has this awesome feature where you press the red button and it has 750 hp
or am I wrong..
all im now seeing is that, Yes nvidia have mearly been hyping their stuff AMD BD style.
17% better compute with equal to less performance else where is not in any way a big deal as they have been makeing out, ill still be buying a lower end sKu but im not overly impressed by the utter bull Nvidia (and AMD:)) spout, !its going to be epic!, and an AMD tahiti smasher:wtf: maybe the Gk110 but not this:rolleyes:
plus what the heck happend to all the delayed to get volume out chat ,mearly trying to spoil AMD's mass sale, since as ever 5 shops are getting 10 cards a piece:wtf:
i thought by march 15 ill see cards on market, but it looks like next month at least.
*orders a 7950*
next thing ya got ya card out:eek:
i can wait untill 15 march, but it looks like we're going for april, and thats too much. and nothing is showing on the market, or will show up for like a month.
ps, i cant even find 7950 msi or sapphire cards.
So 680 against 7800 seems right, because what would marketng guys do otherwise? It's their job to try and eveluate if going to HD6900 is going to make it look faster and Nvidia's marketing job to evaluate if it did hurt them to have a lower number. :laugh: :rolleyes: