14 DAY TRIAL // Recently, several rumors regarding a new line of mainstream DirectX 10 cards from Nvidia traveled around the web. The source is one Chinese website which claims it has the numbers from a leaked Nvidia roadmap. The rumors confirm that Nvidia will launch a cut-down version of the 8800 GTS. This card will only come with 320MB of video Ram but - aside from that - it will have the same specs as its older brother.
However, the story doesn't stop there, because the same site also gives some specs for the future 8300 and 8600 lines. Aside from the three models we already know about (8800 GTX, 8800 GTS 640MB and 8800 GTS 320MB), the supposed roadmap tells about an 8300 GS (500 MHz core, 1000 MHz mem, up to 256MB 128bit Ram 24 shader units price tag: $79). Next in line we have an 8300 GT (500 MHz core, 1200 MHz mem, up to 256MB 128bit Ram. 32 shader units, price tag: $99).
Moving up, we find the first member of the mainstream segment: the 8600 GT (350 MHz core, 1200 MHz mem, up to 256MB 256bit Ram, 48 shader units and a price tag of $129). As you can see, the Ram on the 86xx line stepped up a bit and now comes 256-bit wide. The fastest mainstream card is called 8600 Ultra (500 MHz core, 1400 MHz mem, up to 512MB 256bit Ram 64 shader units and a price of $179) and it will probably be faster than today's 7950 GTX. Keep in mind that - at first - it will share the same price segment.
Two things are really interesting about this roadmap (if it turns out to be true). First, there's no 64-bit support (which is good) and second comes the fact that all these cards, starting with the cheapest, are all fully DirectX 10 compatible. R600 won't be out until March, so there's enough time for Nvidia to confirm the rumors and even roll out some cards. We'll see.