14 DAY TRIAL // There is a new computer display related standard floating around the graphics cards and monitors manufacturing industry and its name is Display Port, its mission, to replace the currently used HDMI standard while offering higher output quality and multiple connecting options as well as ease of installation and use. The new standard is expected to appear in 2008 and users wanting to enjoy the advantages that come with it will have to dig deep into their pockets as they will need some major hardware upgrades including graphics cards, monitor and connectors.
While few of the most important computer monitors manufacturing companies already presented their Display Port implementing and compatible line of products or at least prototypes and concepts, the graphics cards producers, Nvidia and AMD, are keeping a low profile for now, presumably being too busy working on their own card designs and compatible graphics processing units.
At the Intel Developer Forum shows, a team from Nvidia presented a graphics card based on the next generation of video processing units which will soon hit the market, most probably in November. Apart from the fact that this graphics cards integrates the most innovative technologies available to date, it also comes with an implementation of the Display Port standard, so at least Nvidia will have some solutions compatible with the new standard when it is launched. As for Advanced Micro Devices, no word is out yet concerning their Display Port compatible graphics units, but it may be safe to assume that they will soon follow with a similar design, just in time to catch the holiday shopping season.
One thing jumps out when looking at this new Nvidia graphics product (apart from the clumsy cut radiator covering that is, which should make some of its features) and that is the absence of an external power connector so this card may be based on the fabled 65 nanometer built G92 graphics processing unit.