g81?

[Uberpwnage]

I've been reading that Nvidia will release a new top of the line 8 series gpu to compete with ATI's R600 early next year. It has even been said that it will be ready as soon as R600 is released. However, I find that rather hard to believe, as I have seen absolutely no info on g81. Now if i think back to last December, I was planning to get a 7800GTX 512, but decided to wait because of the rumored g71 specs. We're past that point with the 8800 series, and g81 is supposed to be released earlier then g71 was. So my question is whats the real likelihood of us seeing an 8900GTX in February? If its after March, I'll prob just have to buy an EVGA 8800GTX and step up, but i would prefer to have an 8900 and step up to an 8950GX2 or similar.

[a12ctic]

probobly the 8900 refresher.

[superklye]

I've been reading that Nvidia will release a new top of the line 8 series gpu to compete with ATI's R600 early next year. It has even been said that it will be ready as soon as R600 is released. However, I find that rather hard to believe, as I have seen absolutely no info on g81. Now if i think back to last December, I was planning to get a 7800GTX 512, but decided to wait because of the rumored g71 specs. We're past that point with the 8800 series, and g81 is supposed to be released earlier then g71 was. So my question is whats the real likelihood of us seeing an 8900GTX in February? If its after March, I'll prob just have to buy an EVGA 8800GTX and step up, but i would prefer to have an 8900 and step up to an 8950GX2 or similar.
They have no competition whatsoever. Announcing a new card to compete with a card in limbo makes no sense because it has the potential of curbing sales as people wait for the new one.

Until ATI has something to bring to the table, NVIDIA has absolutely NO reason or benefit from announcing a new card.

[Uberpwnage]

If I remember correctly, the G71 wasn't announced in December of last year, some specs were leaked and that started the whole thing. I understand that Nvidia isn't going to announce this card until they absolutely need to. I was just wondering why no specs have been leaked or even suggested. They have to be working on some new high end card right now, because if they need to best R600, they cant just start working after its released.

[Q]

Considering that they barely have the G80 working under XP, I doubt they would be launching another card anytime soon.

[superklye]

I'd be incredibly shocked if we heard anything before Vista comes out.

[RussianHAXOR]

I can see a card coming out in the early summer but thats pure speculation.

[Arioch]

I say around summertime. Nvidia still needs to launch their mid-range and budget series of cards before that happens.

[SoftwareGuy256]

They'd just mod the chip layout to support GDDR4

[jAkUp]

They'd just mod the chip layout to support GDDR4

Not sure what that would accomplish... the 8800's are not exactly starving for memory bandwidth.

[Uberpwnage]

lol, guess I read wrong wherever I read it, or maybe it was the inq... Not really any point in waiting for a card anymore? should I just go ahead and buy a GTX? (xmasgrin)

[crainger]

lol, guess I read wrong wherever I read it, or maybe it was the inq... Not really any point in waiting for a card anymore? should I just go ahead and buy a GTX? (xmasgrin)

Yes.

[superklye]

Wait. The Inq reported something that wasn't true? I don't...nay, I can't believe that.

YOU TAKE THAT BACK!

[Uberpwnage]

Wait. The Inq reported something that wasn't true? I don't...nay, I can't believe that.

YOU TAKE THAT BACK!

lmao, sometimes the inq is right, IMO a rumor is better then nothing at all.

[SoftwareGuy256]

Not sure what that would accomplish... the 8800's are not exactly starving for memory bandwidth.

Back that statement up with some numbers.

[SH0DAN]

Back that statement up with some numbers.


Its a very balanced architecture,I trust Nvidia's engineers,over a mouthy newbie (xmasgrin)

[SH64]

Probably the next high-end refresh chip (GeForce 8900) will be G85 not 81 , but i'm just speculating.

[Redeemed]

Back that statement up with some numbers.

My two 8800GTSs at stock memory speeds:

http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=837804

My two 8800GTSs with memory at 1.8GHz:

http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=837959

Now, if you like I'll even try re-running 06 with my memory at 2GHz- though I really have no idea how well that'd go over (probably about as well as a fart in a space suit :p ).

I should also note that AA and AF were both set to 16x via the driver control panel, and GCAA was enabled with TAA set to Multisampling.

Also worthy to note:

Yes, my CPU is a massive bottleneck for the GPU. But, at the settings I was using I should have noticed some sort of gain if the video memory was any form of bottleneck as well. As you can see, there was no gain at all.

Now, maybe somebody with a C2D at 3GHz+ and a single 8800GTX can do some testing as well- and I'm sure you'll notice that their results wont differ much from mine.

I feel that the reason the 8800 series wont benefit from faster memory is because it does have wider memory bandwidth (384 bit for the GTX and 320 bit for the GTS http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce_8800.html ).

I am also aware that all performance seen from the 8800 series is purely DX9 right now, and come DX10 we might find that memory speed could use a boost. This is a possibility. For now 16x AA is practically free, but I suppose that could change some with DX10 based titles. Only time will tell.

For now, I'm convinced that the 8800 series does not need faster memory.

[Redeemed]

Probably the next high-end refresh chip (GeForce 8900) will be G85 not 81 , but i'm just speculating.

Are you sure? The G71 was the 7900GTX. Why would it differ this round?

[SH64]

Are you sure? The G71 was the 7900GTX. Why would it differ this round?
Well previously Nvidia known to name their refreshes under that code scheme.
NV20 (Ti200/500) --> NV25 (Ti4200/4400/4600)
NV30 (5800U) --> NV35 (5900U) --> NV38 (5950U)
NV40/NV45 (6800GT&U)
the only exception was the G7x series & hence my speculation.

[Redeemed]

Well previously Nvidia known to name their refreshes under that code scheme.
NV20 (Ti200/500) --> NV25 (Ti4200/4400/4600)
NV30 (5800U) --> NV35 (5900U) --> NV38 (5950U)
NV40/NV45 (6800GT&U)
the only exception was the G7x series & hence my speculation.

Hmm... I guess you are right. Then again, supposedly nVidia is mixing it all up with their "code names" since the G7x. So, maybe from now on they'll do just as they did with the G7x series.

[jAkUp]

I really doubt DX10 will make much of a difference. The memory bus is so wide on the 8800GTX especially, that higher performance memory won't get you much. The GPU/Shader clock has a much bigger impact on overall performance.

[Redeemed]

I really doubt DX10 will make much of a difference. The memory bus is so wide on the 8800GTX especially, that higher performance memory won't get you much. The GPU/Shader clock has a much bigger impact on overall performance.

That, actually, is what I'm betting as well. I'm sure nVidia's best move with the 8900 series would be to up the GPU/Shader clocks as much as they can. Or, not touch the clocks and introduce a single slot 8800GTX. :p

[SoftwareGuy256]

Its a very balanced architecture,I trust Nvidia's engineers,over a mouthy newbie (xmasgrin)

Who are you calling newbie? If you ain't writing the code then you are no different from a script kiddie. I actually program with the direct3D APIs, not move sliders in control panels and rivatuner thinking I am 1337. I didn't design GDDR4 so I guess you are calling them (and ATI) newbies too?

[superklye]

Who are you calling newbie? If you ain't writing the code then you are no different from a script kiddie. I actually program with the direct3D APIs, not move sliders in control panels and rivatuner thinking I am 1337. I didn't design GDDR4 so I guess you are calling them (and ATI) newbies too?
Uh, no. He's referring to the fact that you joined in 12/06 and have fewer than 20 posts thereby making you unestablished and unreliable.

n00b.