legion88
11-10-02, 11:20 AM
Basename: Riva, TNT, GeForce
All Rivas had one pixel pipeline with one texturing unit. All TNTs had two pixel pipelines with one texturing unit each. The two texturing unit were the "twin"s. The GeForce line (MX, TI, etc.) all supported hardware-accelerated T&L.
If the NV30 is not named a "GeForce", what makes it so different from the GF that it would have a different base name?
The number after the basename: TNT 1/2, GeForce 1/2/3/4. Based on past history, the number refers to product cycle. 1999 -- GeForce 1 (formerly GeForce 256). 2000 -- GeForce 2. 2001 -- GeForce 3. 2002 -- GeForce 4. Not all cycles lasted a full year. The TNT's two product cycles and the GeForce 1 were approximately 6 months long. For some unspecified reason, NVIDIA decided to keep the GeForce2 name and GeForce3 name for a year instead of 6 months. It would appear that they are planning to do the same with the GeForce4 name.
Product numbers and labels: TI 200, MX 200, TI 500, 4200, etc.
NVIDIA begain introducing product numbers and labels starting with the GF2 MX line. This may explain why NVIDIA began keeping the base name plus number intact for an entire year as noted above. Is there a pattern in this madness?
MX 200: 350 million pixels per second theoretical maximum fillrate
TI 200: 700 million
MX 400: 400 million
MX 420: 500 million
MX 440: 550 million
MX 460: 600 million
TI 500: 960 million
TI4200: 1000 million
TI4400: 1100 million
TI4600: 1200 million
There is a definate pattern--larger number, faster fillrate. However, the TI 200 looks out of place. That's because NVIDIA added something to the "Titanium" naming scheme (i.e. multiply the number by 10). For instance, instead of a TI 420, it is now TI 4200).
There was no MX 500 so the TI 500 does not have a companion. Further, the "500" was meant to match the DDR memory speed so the naming of this product is out of place.
There was no TI400 so the MX400 looks like it does not have a companion, either. But... the GeForce3 (original) didn't have a product number. If it did, it would have been called the TI400 to be consistent.
So.... guesses for the new NV30 (and after) names might look like something like this:
Eclipse 1 MX 500, Eclipse 1 TI 5000 (Being the first in the product line, the number 1 might not be necessary. The product number might not be necessary either.)
Napalm MX 500, Napalm TI 5000
Photon MX, Photon TI
GeForce 5 MX 500, GeForce 5 TI 5000 (if NVIDIA changes its mind and keep the GF base name)
All Rivas had one pixel pipeline with one texturing unit. All TNTs had two pixel pipelines with one texturing unit each. The two texturing unit were the "twin"s. The GeForce line (MX, TI, etc.) all supported hardware-accelerated T&L.
If the NV30 is not named a "GeForce", what makes it so different from the GF that it would have a different base name?
The number after the basename: TNT 1/2, GeForce 1/2/3/4. Based on past history, the number refers to product cycle. 1999 -- GeForce 1 (formerly GeForce 256). 2000 -- GeForce 2. 2001 -- GeForce 3. 2002 -- GeForce 4. Not all cycles lasted a full year. The TNT's two product cycles and the GeForce 1 were approximately 6 months long. For some unspecified reason, NVIDIA decided to keep the GeForce2 name and GeForce3 name for a year instead of 6 months. It would appear that they are planning to do the same with the GeForce4 name.
Product numbers and labels: TI 200, MX 200, TI 500, 4200, etc.
NVIDIA begain introducing product numbers and labels starting with the GF2 MX line. This may explain why NVIDIA began keeping the base name plus number intact for an entire year as noted above. Is there a pattern in this madness?
MX 200: 350 million pixels per second theoretical maximum fillrate
TI 200: 700 million
MX 400: 400 million
MX 420: 500 million
MX 440: 550 million
MX 460: 600 million
TI 500: 960 million
TI4200: 1000 million
TI4400: 1100 million
TI4600: 1200 million
There is a definate pattern--larger number, faster fillrate. However, the TI 200 looks out of place. That's because NVIDIA added something to the "Titanium" naming scheme (i.e. multiply the number by 10). For instance, instead of a TI 420, it is now TI 4200).
There was no MX 500 so the TI 500 does not have a companion. Further, the "500" was meant to match the DDR memory speed so the naming of this product is out of place.
There was no TI400 so the MX400 looks like it does not have a companion, either. But... the GeForce3 (original) didn't have a product number. If it did, it would have been called the TI400 to be consistent.
So.... guesses for the new NV30 (and after) names might look like something like this:
Eclipse 1 MX 500, Eclipse 1 TI 5000 (Being the first in the product line, the number 1 might not be necessary. The product number might not be necessary either.)
Napalm MX 500, Napalm TI 5000
Photon MX, Photon TI
GeForce 5 MX 500, GeForce 5 TI 5000 (if NVIDIA changes its mind and keep the GF base name)