GTX480 Custom PCB Design?

[BFG10K]

Check this out:

http://www.brightsideofnews.com/new...80-designs-show-interesting-developments.aspx

The claim is a much shorter GTX480 with reduced heat/noise/power consumption (2 x 6-pin required now), with the possibility of the same reference clocks. Overclocking might be reduced, but I don't care about that at all.

It'll be good news if it's true.

 

[Keysplayr]

If it keeps the same clocks then it would be most impressive. Reducing power requirements to 225W is probably going to please a lot of people.

 

[apoppin]

If it keeps the same clocks then it would be most impressive. Reducing power requirements to 225W is probably going to please a lot of people.

How are they going to do that without reducing clocks?

 

[dug777]

If it keeps the same clocks then it would be most impressive. Reducing power requirements to 225W is probably going to please a lot of people.

That article speculates that it achieves the lower power rating by reducing core clocks, but it would indeed be awesome if they could keep them at stock and manage that.

Do you anticipate we should see GTX 4XX readily available in far flung places like Australia shortly after cards are available?

 

[GaiaHunter]

Maybe they are top binned parts.

Would be very nice otherwise.

 

[Keysplayr]

How are they going to do that without reducing clocks?

If they don't keep the same clocks, I don't think they'll still be able to call it a GTX480. That would be incredibly misleading. Unless they call It the "Green Edition" or something along those lines.
And a question; has there been enough time yet for a respin of GF100 yet? Is it at all possible these smaller boards could be harboring B1 stepping chips?
Far fetched I know, it was just a passing thought.

 

[Creig]

I can't seem to get to EXPreview, so I can't read their article and might be commenting on something already explained there.

I can't see either how you can lower the power consumption without reducing performance. The GPU is main power hog in any video card. The card is still going to need the same number of memory chips, still provide VRMs rated the same, etc as the GTX 480. They might be able to make a more compact GTX 480 PCB, but the completed design is still going to draw the same amount of power as a full size GTX 480 if they're both clocked the same.

 

[Lonyo]

If they don't keep the same clocks, I don't think they'll still be able to call it a GTX480. That would be incredibly misleading. Unless they call It the "Green Edition" or something along those lines.
And a question; has there been enough time yet for a respin of GF100 yet? Is it at all possible these smaller boards could be harboring B1 stepping chips?
Far fetched I know, it was just a passing thought.

The Galaxy 9800GT (no 6-pin PCIe connector) was just called a 9800GT Low Power and had reduced clocks from a regular 9800GT, although there is probably less concern in that end of the market for absolute specifications. NV might be a little more concerned if people are re-speccing their top end card, even if they do append the name.

(550/1500 vs 600/1500 core/shader)

 

[apoppin]

If they don't keep the same clocks, I don't think they'll still be able to call it a GTX480. That would be incredibly misleading. Unless they call It the "Green Edition" or something along those lines.

That's what i am thinking. And it would be the basis for a GX2 sandwich with further lowered clocks (of the GTX 470). They could certainly keep their memory clocks or even increase them.

A respin? This early?

Do you remember Nvidia ever giving such latitude to their partners before to play with their reference design?
- not since G80 and never on a launch; they have a lot of confidence in GF100

 

[bunnyfubbles]

That's what i am thinking. And it would be the basis for a GX2 sandwich with further lowered clocks (of the GTX 470). They could certainly keep their memory clocks or even increase them.

A respin? This early?

Do you remember Nvidia ever giving such latitude to their partners before to play with their reference design?
- not since G80 and never on a launch; they have a lot of confidence in GF100

early is relative, they're 6 months late to the DX11 party. I'm sure they're looking into all avenues of improving their competitive chances.

 

[apoppin]

early is relative, they're 6 months late to the DX11 party. I'm sure they're looking into all avenues of improving their competitive chances.

let me clarify what i really meant:

A respin, *already* ??

 

[MarcVenice]

I think a B1-respin this early is unlikely. Their cards with A3-stepping aren't even for sale yet. If they have a B1 coming this fast, that consumes considerably less power and thus produces less heat, reviewers would have had those samples and Nvidia would have launched 2 weeks later instead.

 

[cbn]

Is the PCB wider?

 

[mm2587]

b1 if it comes at all wont be till july or later. About 6 months for a complete respin so if nvidia committed to one in January (about the earliest they could have) thats the best they could do.

 

[cbn]

Apoppin has mentioned video cards having a power brick and others have mentioned Triple slot air cooler exhasuting heat out the back.

Could these two features be combined to allow greater sales of Fermi? Like other people have mentioned- not everyone has a "Fermi certfied chassis" or a High watt enthusiast level PSU.

 

[RussianSensation]

Smaller and cooler running GTX480 would be great! And those HD5850/70 prices are not moving.

 

[darXoul]

Looks too good to be true, but I'm going to keep an eye on this one. A quieter, cooler Fermi would be great. Well, almost. Performance doesn't really justify such big words. Let's say "good".

 

[Keysplayr]

I notice some of you using the word "early".
Nobody said these would launch anytime soon.
Could be available a few months down. And with that perspective in mind, a B1 stepping could make sense if Nv/TSMC went to work right away on B1 after A3 finished taping out quite some time ago.

And Dug, the article states conflicting comments witin itself. First, it states that there is a good possibility that clocks will be the same as the reference boards, but may limit overclockability. Further down where it states the new power draw, they state that this is acheived by lowering clocks. So, unless I read it wrong or misunderstood it, BSON should get an email or two asking to clear this up.

 

[apoppin]

And those HD5850/70 prices are not moving.

That has been my prediction for some weeks now:

There is no price war between Nvidia and AMD

----Only the AIB partners will compete with each other with pricing - not big discounts.
i believe that the way pricing is set, the cards do not directly compete like they did for the last few ... (as long as i can remember)

 

[v8envy]

More likely these are boards for an upcoming GTX460.

 

[Keysplayr]

More likely these are boards for an upcoming GTX460.

Not when we already have the current GTX470 at 225W.

 

[apoppin]

Not when we already have the current GTX470 at 225W.

FIRST of ALL .. are we absolutely certain about anything they wrote ?
- don't pay the slightest bit of attention to what BS wrote in their article as *everything* they speculate - which is self-contradictory - comes from THIS:

http://www.expreview.com/9990.html

i know it refers to GTX 480, but who reads Chinese here and can make an accurate translation?

 

[formulav8]

Its most likely lower clockspeed as some has said. A custom pcb can help too in optimized tracings and vrm, ect...


Jason