[VR] NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 Specifications Revealed

[blckgrffn]

That's true Russian, but the availability of the 7800GTX 512 was so scarce that most of us with 7800GTXes waited until 7900GTX to upgrade. I know I did.

GK114 will probably be faster then my current card, which will be eligible for an EVGA step-up all the way through April, so I'm most likely in for one. If they sell for $350-450, maybe two.

Haha, I waited until the 7900 GTO

The 7800GT did fine up until that point.

Still exciting times. I hope they (AMD & Nvidia) duke it out, the CPU side of things has gotten pretty boring.

 

[tviceman]

To me this smells like 7800 GTX launch all over again.

The "fake" flagship - 7800GTX - Launched June 2005
24 pixel, 8 vertex, 24 TMUs
430mhz GPU
256MB, 1200 DDR memory (38.4GB/sec bandwidth)

Then 5 months later

The "Real" flagship successor to 6800 Ultra - 7800GTX 512MB - Launched November 2005

550mhz GPU (+28%)
512MB, 1700 DDR memory (54.4GB/sec bandwidth = +42%)

Why do I get this bad feeling that GK104 will be a $550+ GPU and NV will launch the "real" Kepler flagship with 384-bit, 2304 SPs as the GTX780 6 months later...?

If this 320-340mm^2 256-bit chip is sufficient enough to beat GTX580 by 50%, then the Big K could easily add another 40-50% on top of that and NV might as well call that the next generation GTX780

The big problem I see with pricing is that, and as the peddie research info says, the $500 gpu market to gamers is so incredibly small. AMD has, in my opinion, done with pricing what Nvidia tried to do originally with the gtx280 and gtx260. But sales won't sustain those high prices. Nvidia supposedly has a smaller chip than both GF114 and Tahiti. GF114 sold on the gtx560ti for $250 at release. Add another gig of vram, 20% chip production costs moving up to 28nm, and they could sell it on a ~$300 video card and still make more money per chip than with GF114. I think we all know that Nvidia isn't going to price it at $300, though. The best we can *hope* for is that they find a middle ground between past pricing with a mid-range sized chip and AMD's pricing. I think, business wise, it would make way more sense to price the cards with fully-loaded GK104's at $349-399. They will sell a whole lot more video cards at that price than if they decide to enter AMD's new found pricing territory.

 

[RussianSensation]

That's true Russian, but the availability of the 7800GTX 512 was so scarce that most of us with 7800GTXes waited until 7900GTX to upgrade. I know I did.

GK114 will probably be faster then my current card, which will be eligible for an EVGA step-up all the way through April, so I'm most likely in for one. If they sell for $350-450, maybe two.

Ya, I know that 7800GTX 512 was almost a special edition $700-800 card. But going from 7800GTX 256 to 7900GTX was more like 30-40% performance increase iirc. I think this is going to be very interesting now. If GK104 is everything NV has got this round and there is no GK110, then even if it's 20% faster than HD7970, that can be wiped out easily by 7970's overclocking. That's not what one might call "unbeatable performance" that we've been hearing about, unless GK104 also has serious overclocking behind it.

The EVGA step-up is great. You played it smart. Dumped your GTX580 while it had value

I think, business wise, it would make way more sense to price the cards with fully-loaded GK104's at $349-399. They will sell a whole lot more video cards at that price than if they decide to enter AMD's new found pricing territory.

The entire time I incorrectly assumed that GK104 will be upper-midrange card in their lineup. As a result, I was thinking $399-449 for GK104 and $549-600 for GK110 to follow in August or so. But if NV's GK104 is all they got, that's a $499-549 card I am guessing and GK110 just might be a $550-600 flagship GTX780 in Q1 2013.

 

[tviceman]

The entire time I assumed that GK104 will be upper-midrange card in their lineup. As a result, I was thinking $399-449 for GK104 and $549-600 for GK110 to follow in August or so. But if NV's GK104 is all they got, that's a $499-549 card I am guessing and GK110 just might be a $550-600 flagship GTX780 in Q1 2013.

The pricing outline you predict does not at all jibe with how Nvidia priced their bigger chip relative to their smaller ones in the past. Their best video card powered by their biggest chip has been at least twice as much as their best video card powered by their mid-range chip. There is no way Nvidia is going to price their biggest chip, best video card only $50-100 more than what they will price GK104. So fine, you might say, they will just price the bigger one higher. Well, they may certainly price it higher than what the gtx580 sold for (I say that as a foregone conclusion) but asking $700-800 for a gaming video card with 1 GPU is not a sustaining business model.

I'm saying this with the belief that a bigger version of Kepler is coming later this year. But "HYPERTHREADING" on a GPU?

 

[RussianSensation]

The pricing outline you predict does not at all jibe with how Nvidia priced their bigger chip relative to their smaller ones in the past. Their best video card powered by their biggest chip has been at least twice as much as their best video card powered by their mid-range chip. There is no way Nvidia is going to price their biggest chip, best video card only $50-100 more than what they will price GK104. So fine, you might say, they will just price the bigger one higher. Well, they may certainly price it higher than what the gtx580 sold for (I say that as a foregone conclusion) but asking $700-800 for a gaming video card with 1 GPU is not a sustaining business model.

I'm saying this with the belief that a bigger version of Kepler is coming later this year. But "HYPERTHREADING" on a GPU?

Sorry if I didn't explain it better. I thought that if GK104 and GK110 would launch within a quarter a part, then it somewhat made sense why GK104 would be $399 and GK110 followed at $549+. But if GK110 is nowhere near in sight, and GK104 ends up just 10% faster than HD7970, NV will have no reason at all to price GK104 below $499+ (unless like you said they play the volume hand). If they don't intend to launch the big GK110 in all of 2012, then GK104 suddenly becomes their flagship for all of 2012 and any possibility of price wars is almost non-existent.

 

[thilanliyan]

I think AMD might have set the market in so far as Nvidia is going to price based on AMD's already established pricing... Assuming they have card(s) faster than teh 7970 and they feel they can sell it at $600+ that's where they'll price it.

Ohh...I see...so it would also be AMD's fault if nV prices their cards LIKE THEY ALWAYS HAVE?!

Honestly, I don't really care much as I buy whatever suits my needs at the price I want to pay, but all the people that were ragging on AMD for the increased prices this gen should STFU or give nV the same flak if nV prices these cards relative to the current 79XX prices. I honestly could not believe all the whining there was about the prices this gen. If nV prices lower, then good on them and they deserve the extra sales.

 

[SlowSpyder]

I do hope that Keplar launches soon. Wasn't it supposed to be $299 and faster than the 7970, or did that rumor die?

No matter how incredible Kepar is, something tells me my 7970 should have a long future in my computer case. 3GB of memory, 1200MHz on the GPU, more than enough power for my 19x12 monitor. But, I hope we'll see soon enough...

 

[tviceman]

Sorry if I didn't explain it better. I thought that if GK104 and GK110 would launch within a quarter a part, then it somewhat made sense why GK104 would be $399 and GK110 followed at $549+. But if GK110 is nowhere near in sight, and GK104 ends up just 10% faster than HD7970, NV will have no reason at all to price GK104 below $499+ (unless like you said they play the volume hand). If they don't intend to launch the big GK110 in all of 2012, then GK104 suddenly becomes their flagship for all of 2012 and any possibility of price wars is almost non-existent.

Based on their conference call a few weeks ago, I don't think Nvidia's margins would be destined to shrink much at all this quarter if they're selling a chip smaller than GF114 for twice as much dinero.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

Ohh...I see...so it would also be AMD's fault if nV prices their cards LIKE THEY ALWAYS HAVE?!

Honestly, I don't really care much as I buy whatever suits my needs at the price I want to pay, but all the people that were ragging on AMD for the increased prices this gen should STFU or give nV the same flak if nV prices these cards relative to the current 79XX prices. I honestly could not believe all the whining there was about the prices this gen. If nV prices lower, then good on them and they deserve the extra sales.

Actually I believe Nvidia is the bad guy in these situations, however AMD seems to no longer want to be our knight... Therefore we lose. Whose fault it is or whatever and what not is of no consequence.

The last thing I am is a Nvidia fanboy. I'm a price/performance fanboy. That's why I have an i5, that's why I have two 470's I paid $150 each for.

Nvida and AMD can both GTFO if they can't provide me with decent increases for decent prices there is no reason for me to make excuses for either company, I simply will not purchase a product this gen if that is what they're going to try to offer me.

 

[GaiaHunter]

GPU companies have at this moment no power over us.

Until more demanding games are out, we can sit on our 2-3+ years old cards.

So if the prices are high either the market doesn't care about the prices or the shortages are real.

 

[thilanliyan]

Actually I believe Nvidia is the bad guy in these situations, however AMD seems to no longer want to be our knight... Therefore we lose. Whose fault it is or whatever and what not is of no consequence.

The last thing I am is a Nvidia fanboy. I'm a price/performance fanboy. That's why I have an i5, that's why I have two 470's I paid $150 each for.

Nvida and AMD can both GTFO if they can't provide me with decent increases for decent prices there is no reason for me to make excuses for either company, I simply will not purchase a product this gen if that is what they're going to try to offer me.

I can understand people want the prices to be low like they were during the 4870/5870/6970 generations but AMD is a publicly traded company and will try to make as much money as possible, especially while there is no competition. Couple that with the fact that prices of EVERYTHING, including 28nm wafers are likely higher and I can totally understand why the cards are priced where they are. I personally want 7970 OCed performance for about $350-400, and I will wait until I can get that.

 

[blckgrffn]

GPU companies have at this moment no power over us.

Until more demanding games are out, we can sit on our 2-3+ years old cards.

So if the prices are high either the market doesn't care about the prices or the shortages are real.

Yup. Wishing I had bought the Eyefinity 5870 for ~$30 more (2GB vram) but I am going to sit on this guy for a while given these prices. Maybe when one of you upgrades from your 79xxx AMD or Kepler I'll hit you up on the FS/FT side

 

[f1sherman]

GPU companies have at this moment no power over us.

Until more demanding games are out, we can sit on our 2-3+ years old cards.

So if the prices are high either the market doesn't care about the prices or the shortages are real.

That;s what i was saying all along... lowering prices is the only way for NV/AMD to make money on discrete GPU in 2012.

But AMD is proly willing to overcharge, in effect raising the value of their APU,
even if discrete would suffer. And they are proly sick of their underdog/cheapo image.

What ever price AMD put on 7000 cards, it would set the pace for Nvidia,
yet it would likely have to be balanced again when Kepler comes out.

So AMD simply gave themselves some breathing space,
because they really dont want to go too low.

Nvidia otoh has to sell LOADS of discrete and will need to pull the prices down.

 

[thilanliyan]

Haha, I waited until the 7900 GTO

Hehe, got one of them too! And sold it for a profit.

 

[SirPauly]

But AMD is proly willing to overcharge, in effect raising the value of their APU,even if discrete would suffer. And they are proly sick of their underdog/cheapo image.
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I also raised this possibility and think it's a good point.

 

[Arzachel]

That;s what i was saying all along... lowering prices is the only way for NV/AMD to make money on discrete GPU in 2012.

Hahaha, you really think AMD is conspiring against their customers? It might be shocking, but it just might be that they increase prices because they make more money that way. Weird concept, I know.

 

[Grooveriding]

To me this smells like 7800 GTX launch all over again.

The "fake" flagship - 7800GTX - Launched June 2005
24 pixel, 8 vertex, 24 TMUs
430mhz GPU
256MB, 1200 DDR memory (38.4GB/sec bandwidth)

Then 5 months later

The "Real" flagship successor to 6800 Ultra - 7800GTX 512MB - Launched November 2005

550mhz GPU (+28%)
512MB, 1700 DDR memory (54.4GB/sec bandwidth = +42%)

Why do I get this feeling that GK104 will be a $550+ GPU and NV will launch the "real" Kepler flagship with 384-bit, 2304 SPs as the GTX780 6-7 months later...?

If this 320-340mm^2 256-bit chip is sufficient enough to beat GTX580 by 50%, then the Big K could easily add another 40-50% on top of that and NV might as well call that the next generation GTX780

Exactly what I am expecting and thought of that same launch :thumbsup:

I still have my doubts it is competitive with 7970, nv would of had to make huge strides in perf/mm2, which they are terrible with. If the have done that though, and with the 680 moniker being tossed around, if true means they will present this card as a flagship. Say hello to another $500 card, if it is faster than 7970, maybe $600. They will not shy away from those prices if the card is competitive.

If they have improved perf/mm2 that much it only means GK110 will be that much better hopefully. Would like to know if this rumour and the 680 naming is true or not, if so, the card is going to cost a lot and perform decently. They will not cheapen the X80 moniker with a cheap card and average performance.

 

[Vesku]

One thing I anticipate after Kepler launches, is some pretty intense yelling about which games and tests mean the most. Rumors are saying Kepler is pretty impressive in certain scenarios, but not much info on what exactly those scenarios are.

Slightly off topic, has AMD mentioned whether their GCN drivers will eventually support DX11 multi-threaded mode?

 

[f1sherman]

It might be shocking, but it just might be that they increase prices because they make more money that way.

That was my claim exactly

But mind you, graphics division wont make nor brake AMD. They are like 1/5 of revenue and 10% of net income in (FY2011)

 

[Olikan]

One thing I anticipate after Kepler launches, is some pretty intense yelling about which games and tests mean the most. Rumors are saying Kepler is pretty impressive in certain scenarios, but not much info on what exactly those scenarios are.

Slightly off topic, has AMD mentioned whether their GCN drivers will eventually support DX11 multi-threaded mode?

meh!
amd have yet to support VCE in it's cards...and i thought that fixed function units were easyer to code...

multi-threaded support, maybe next year

 

[blckgrffn]

Hehe, got one of them too! And sold it for a profit.

I held onto it until the bitter end and sold it to a buddy who was still rocking a 6600GT for $25 and his old card

Still a pretty epic step up, though... That cooler was great.

 

[thilanliyan]

I held onto it until the bitter end and sold it to a buddy who was still rocking a 6600GT for $25 and his old card

Still a pretty epic step up, though... That cooler was great.

Hehe, for me it was the shortest amount of time I've had a video card I think...something like 1.5-2 months. I bought it because I knew I could make a profit on it lol.

 

[SirPauly]

Kyle offering his view:

GK104 will be 680.

Seeing some benchmarks show 7970 in the lead, mostly in tessellated situations there, other "normal" synthetic 3D benchmarks and gaming benchmarks show 680 faster. Driver advancements still happening as well for 68

http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1038464236&postcount=51

 

[skipsneeky2]

Haha, I waited until the 7900 GTO

The 7800GT did fine up until that point.

Still exciting times. I hope they (AMD & Nvidia) duke it out, the CPU side of things has gotten pretty boring.

I jumped ship from a 7800gs agp and p4 to a e6750 and 8800gts,to me that was nice.:thumbsup:

 

[Vesku]

Yep, this is the kind of thing that makes me think the 7970 launch was just a taste of things to come in terms of armchair video card analysis.

Kyle offering his view:



http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1038464236&postcount=51