Does Nvidia build their own video cards like the way ATI does.

[xMax]

Ive noticed some review sites mentionig Nvidia reference cards, but they didnt emphasise wether these were for sale or just references for their partners to build on.

I personally dont think Nvidia makes their own cards, but im not sure. Anybody know?

 

[ElFenix]

no

 

[Corporate Thug]

no, the reference cards are in house products not licensened for commercial sales

 

[xMax]

Well that was simple.

Thanks guys.

 

[jiffylube1024]

No they do not.

Although truth be told ATI doesn't make their own "built by ATI" cards either. Last I heard Sapphire makes their cards for them, as well as selling ATI cards under their own name.

 

[xMax]

That is true. But not for all their cards. ATI hired Sapphire to build some of their cards because they didnt have enough resources, like factories, to build enough cards for the demand.

 

[mrkun]

To my knowledge, all of ATI and NVIDIA's cards are made by Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC). Companies like BFG, eVGA, Sapphire, etc. are just distributors.

 

[Hacp]

IIRC, connect3d makes all of ATI's cards.

 

[xMax]

I think there is different components and levels of them in the overall production to distribution process. Its like having one company that makes the VPUs, another small amount of companies that make the chipsets, and then a group of companies that make the entire card. The latter of all are the companies we are commonly familiar with.

But the point is that Nvidia doesnt have a 'built by Nvidia' offering like ATI does, even if ATI doesn't actually build them themselves, at whatever level.

 

[Sc4freak]

Originally posted by: mrkun
To my knowledge, all of ATI and NVIDIA's cards are made by Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC). Companies like BFG, eVGA, Sapphire, etc. are just distributors.

Eh, no, not really. TSMC makes the chips, while the distributors make the boards.

 

[BFG10K]

Neither ATi or nVidia make their own cards.