14 DAY TRIAL // Several details concerning an Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX graphics card from Asus have been leaked on an Asian web-site. They don't reveal any performance or micro-architectural peculiarities of the chip code-named G80, but we can see some information regarding the details of graphic cards powered by Nvidia's forthcoming graphics processing unit (GPU), said Xbitlabs.
Furthermore, the pictures published by MyChat expose that the GeForce 8800 GTX-based graphics card from Asus looks a little different compared to Nvidia G80 picture published earlier. While the board does look like a large one, it does not feature liquid cooling system and it has elements placed a little bit different compared to the previous version. The same source said that - according to the web-site - which claims that the information comes from sources within Asus, one of the world's largest maker of graphics cards, Nvidia's yet-to-be-announced G80 graphics chip will support Microsoft DirectX 10 Shader Model 4.0, Nvidia's GigaThread technology, Nvidia Quantum Effects technology, floating point high dynamic-range (HDR) lighting and so on.
Asus will most likely release two versions of the GeForce 8800-series graphics cards: EN8800GTX/ HTDP/ 768M and EN8800GTS/ HTDP/ 640M. The naming scheme implies that there will be two versions of the G80: the GeForce 8800 GTX and the GeForce 8800 GTS, which will be different not only in terms of performance, but also in terms of installed amount of memory and interface: the GTX boards will carry 768MB with 384-bit interface, whereas the GTX cards will have 640MB with 320-bit interface. The higher-end model 8800 GTX will have its chip clocked at 575 MHz and GDDR 3 memory operating at 1.80GHz.
Xbit labs said it's unclear why Asus and Nvidia use GDDR 3 memory for the new top-of-the-range products, as GDDR 3 memory operating at 1.70 GHz and above is pretty rare, whereas GDDR 4 memory easily operates at 2.0 GHz and beyond. Others already know there is a shortage of GDDR4. Specifications of the G80 chip are not clear. Some sources indicate that Nvidia's first DirectX 10 chip will incorporate 48 pixel shader processors and an unknown number of vertex shader/geometry shader processors. Others, however, claim that the G80 has 32 pixel and 16 vertex and geometry shader processors. It was also indicated that the G80 will have unified shader architecture and will consist of 700 million transistors.
When asked, Asus and Nvidia did not comment on the story.
