NVIDIA brings the first full-size, unlocked GPU for laptops

Sep 22, 2015 15:40 GMT  ·  By

NVIDIA has apparently stopped separating laptops from desktop computers when it comes to performance versus portability, and has decided that gaming enthusiasts shouldn't carry water-cooled nuclear reactors to provide the modicum of fun a desktop offers on a cumbersome, massive laptop.

In this regard, NVIDIA has concluded that there shouldn't be any more "M" behind the laptop version of a mainstream graphics cards that usually means "you're getting less performance than that super beefy graphics card you house in your home-bound tower PC." This time, NVIDIA says that customers should get what they paid for, and that means a full-fledged graphics card in your gaming laptop with no less megahertz or Cuda cores than what you'd usually get on your desktop PC version.

In other words, the new GTX 980 for laptops is exactly the same card as the one for PCs, down to the very last detail, this way, NVIDIA being the first company to port a full desktop graphics card straight to laptops with no haircuts to performance whatsoever.

NVIDIA makes history by taking laptops seriously

Built on NVIDIA's Maxwell architecture, the new card is intended to have enhanced power efficiency, the GTX 980 running at a base 1.1GHz clock speed, having 2048 CUDA cores and 4GB of GDDR5 video memory (7 Gbps memory speed). These specs are on a graphics card that can easily run all the latest titles at over 60fps on maximum settings. The finer details are that the GTX 980 can also power three 1080p displays, if the laptop's output allows it, and is also Oculus compatible, so you can expect some Oculus Rift action when that comes out.

Another great feature is that the new GTX 980 for laptops is the first fully unlocked GPU for notebooks, so it arrives with software that lets users overclock the GPU and set temperature limits or cooling fan speeds, just as they'd do with desktop cards. No more limitations, not more haircuts.

NVIDIA's partners that will support this new card for NVIDIA are: Aorus, ASUS, MSI and Clevo, as well as Origin PC, Maingear, Falcon NW, Digital Storm, Sager, XMG, PC Specialist, LDLC, Hyperbook, G-Tune, AfterShock, BossMonster, Metabox, ThunderRobot and Terrans Force.

Partner brands supporting NVIDIA 980 GTX for laptops (4 Images)

ASUS GX700 will support NVIDIA's new GTX 980 for laptops
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