GeForce GTX 960 | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Wed, 09 Sep 2015 02:38:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png GeForce GTX 960 | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Nvidia: Sales of high-end GeForce GTX GPUs are increasing https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-sales-of-high-end-geforce-gtx-gpus-are-increasing/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-sales-of-high-end-geforce-gtx-gpus-are-increasing/#comments Wed, 09 Sep 2015 01:33:03 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=266810 It is not a secret that sales of discrete graphics processing units for personal computers are decreasing. In the second quarter of the year shipments of graphics cards for desktop computers dropped to the minimum level in many years. Despite of this, shipments of graphics cards used by gamers are increasing, according to Jeff Fisher, …

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It is not a secret that sales of discrete graphics processing units for personal computers are decreasing. In the second quarter of the year shipments of graphics cards for desktop computers dropped to the minimum level in many years. Despite of this, shipments of graphics cards used by gamers are increasing, according to Jeff Fisher, senior vice president of GeForce business unit at Nvidia Corp.

One of the key reasons why sales of low-end graphics processing units are getting lower is increasing performance of graphics processors integrated into modern central processing units. Ten years ago, integrated graphics processors were incapable of delivering decent performance even in casual games, but today they offer fine frame-rates in a lot of games. As a result, people no longer need low-end graphics cards for desktop computers.

However, more and more people are buying GeForce GTX GPUs to play video games, according to Jeff Fisher, who spoke with Japanese 4Gamer.net web-site. Mr. Fisher claims that new-generation game consoles do not threat sales of discrete graphics adapters, but actually help to popularize games and GeForce GPUs.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_titan_x

Several years ago, Nvidia’s top-of-the-range gaming graphics adapters cost $499. The recommended price of the GeForce GTX 980 was $549, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti costs $649 and the GeForce GTX Titan X is priced at $999. Mr. Fisher denies that Nvidia’s graphics processors are getting more expensive with each generation and claims that Titan series is not aimed at gamers, but enthusiasts of high-performance computing.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Nvidia has managed to capture over 80 per cent of the world’s GPU market, which is why the company can enjoy increasing sales of its products. By contrast, its arch-rival AMD is struggling to increase sales of its Radeon R9 graphics cards for gamers.

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Nvidia: China is shifting to high-end GPUs https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-china-is-shifting-to-high-end-gpus/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-china-is-shifting-to-high-end-gpus/#comments Fri, 07 Aug 2015 23:20:00 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=262849 Chief executive officer of Nvidia Corp. explained this week the reason why a number of graphics cards makers this year refocused their marketing efforts to higher-end graphics adapters. Apparently, China, one of the world’s largest markets, is shifting to higher-end GPUs, which is generally a good news for both Nvidia and its rival Advanced Micro …

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Chief executive officer of Nvidia Corp. explained this week the reason why a number of graphics cards makers this year refocused their marketing efforts to higher-end graphics adapters. Apparently, China, one of the world’s largest markets, is shifting to higher-end GPUs, which is generally a good news for both Nvidia and its rival Advanced Micro Devices.

“We are also seeing a shift to higher end GPUs in China,” said Jen-Hsun Huang, chief executive officer of Nvidia, on the company’s earnings conference call with investors and financial analysts. “Some of that probably has to do with the dramatic change in improvement in production value of games in China.”

NVIDIA_GeForce_GTX_900series_KeyVisual_HD_003

Historically, China consumed cheap personal computers with poor configurations and with low-end or even integrated graphics adapters. In the recent years, the situation began to change and today there are loads of high-end systems sold in the world’s most populated country. Another reason why Chinese gamers now buy higher-end hardware is because locally-made games demand more performance and better GPUs.

“There was a time when the Chinese games were enjoyed and fun, [but] the production values were not very good,” explained Mr. Huang. “But now if you take a look at the Tencent games, the production value are absolutely phenomenal. They are beautiful. They are artistic and in those cases require a lot more GPU capability.”

TitanX_Stylized_02

Yet another reason why Chinese gamers are shifting to higher-end GPUs could be shrinking difference between low-end GPUs and integrated graphics processors. Today, one may have decent gaming experience on a system powered by a moderate central processing unit with a good graphics core inside. In a bid to have a radically better experience, an advanced graphics card will be needed.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Increasing demand for higher-end graphics adapters is a good news for everyone serving that market, including AMD, Nvidia and makers of graphics cards. What remains to be seen is whether bolstering demand in China will affect prices of GPUs. At the end, great demand increases prices. But on the other hand, as GPUs are getting more complex, creators of such chips need more money to develop and design their products.

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EVGA offers £20/€25 cashback on its GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/evga-offers-20e25-cashback-on-its-geforce-gtx-960-graphics-cards/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/evga-offers-20e25-cashback-on-its-geforce-gtx-960-graphics-cards/#comments Fri, 17 Jul 2015 20:18:13 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=259617 For a limited time only EVGA offers a special discount in the form of cashback on its Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics cards. The promotion is open to residents of the U.K., European Union, EEA countries as well as Switzerland. Customers, who buy any EVGA GeForce GTX 960 graphics card from a participating store between the …

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For a limited time only EVGA offers a special discount in the form of cashback on its Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics cards. The promotion is open to residents of the U.K., European Union, EEA countries as well as Switzerland.

Customers, who buy any EVGA GeForce GTX 960 graphics card from a participating store between the 6th of July, 2015, and the 2nd of August, 2015, will receive £20 or €25 (or an equivalent in respective national currencies) back from EVGA. To claim back cash, owners will need to submit an appropriate form at the web-site of the programme. To get the money, a PayPal account is required.

evga_geforce_gtx_960_2

A number of well-known U.K. stores participate in the campaign, including Aria PC, CCL Online, Dabs, and Scan.

Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 960 graphics card is based on the GM206 graphics processing unit that sports 1024 stream processors, 64 texture units, 32 raster operations pipelines and 128-bit memory bus. At 1127MHz default GPU clock-rate, compute performance of the chip is around 2.3TFLOPS. Peak memory bandwidth of the reference graphics board is 112GB/s. The GM206 supports all modern graphics and GPU compute technologies, including DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.3, OpenCL 1.1, Vulkan and others. The chip has hardware H.265 (HEVC) encoding and decoding and is also fully compatible with HDCP 2.2 content protection over HDMI, which makes it a great HTPC solution.

evga_geforce_gtx_960

EVGA’s GeForce GTX 960 product family is very broad and includes various models with increased clock-rates, advanced coolers as well as 2GB or 4GB of GDDR5 memory. The top-of-the-range EVGA GeForce GTX 960 4GB FTW ACX 2.0+ features 1304GHz GPU base clock-rate and offers compute performance of around 2.67TFLOPS.

Learn more about the campaign HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: If you are in the market for an HTPC graphics card, or were planning to buy a GeForce GTX 960, it looks like you can have a great deal here.

The information about the promotion was spotted at Hexus.

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Aorus begins to sell its X5 laptop: Core i7, GeForce GTX 965M SLI, 3K IPS display https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/anton-shilov/aorus-begins-to-sell-its-x5-laptop-core-i7-geforce-gtx-965m-sli-4k-ips-display/ https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/anton-shilov/aorus-begins-to-sell-its-x5-laptop-core-i7-geforce-gtx-965m-sli-4k-ips-display/#comments Wed, 03 Jun 2015 02:46:52 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=252472 Aorus, a division of Gigabyte Technology that specializes on gaming laptops, on Tuesday began to sell its Aorus X5 notebooks introduced earlier this year. The company had to slightly change configuration of the mobile PCs, but the laptop is still among the highest-performing slim notebooks on the planet. The Aorus X5 notebook is based on the …

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Aorus, a division of Gigabyte Technology that specializes on gaming laptops, on Tuesday began to sell its Aorus X5 notebooks introduced earlier this year. The company had to slightly change configuration of the mobile PCs, but the laptop is still among the highest-performing slim notebooks on the planet.

The Aorus X5 notebook is based on the Intel Core i7-5700HQ “Broadwell” processor as well as two Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M graphics adapters in SLI mode. The system is equipped with 16GB DDR3 memory, 256GB or 512GB solid-state drive, 1TB hard disk drive, Killer Networking LAN chip with 802.11ac WiFi support and so on. The mobile PC can be further upgraded to support up to 32GB of memory, up to three M.2 solid-state drives and maybe even faster graphics processors.

aorus_x7_laptop_nvidia_g_sync_geforce

The new laptops from Aorus are equipped with 15.6″ IPS display panels with 2880*1620 resolution and rather high luminance of 350 cd/m². The notebooks feature Nvidia’s G-Sync direct that dynamically synchronizes refresh rate of a display to the framerate of the outputting graphics processing unit. Earlier this year Aorus planned to use a 4K IGZO panel from Sharp.

The Aorus X5 gaming notebooks boast with extreme performance that is comparable to that of modern desktops. However, it is not very thick (22.9mm) or heavy (2.5 kilograms). In fact, its weight and dimensions are similar to those of non-gaming laptops released several years ago. In a bid to ensure maximum stability, the X5 employs an advanced cooling system with eight thermal pipes, four vents and two fans. Thermal parts have been placed at the rear in a bid to ensure maximum coolness for wrists. The Aorus laptops also feature advanced LED-backlit keyboard with programmable buttons and macros.

aorus_x5

Aorus will start to sell its X5 laptops in the U.K. shortly at Overclockers UK. Two configurations will be available:

  • Aorus X5/15.6″ WQHD+ 2880×1620/Intel Core i7-5700HQ/Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M SLI GDDR5 8GB/DRAM 16GB/ SSD 512GB/HDD 1TB/ G-Sync – £1,899 including VAT;
  • Aorus X5/15.6″ WQHD+ 2880×1620/Intel Core i7-5700HQ/ GeForce GTX 965M SLI GDDR5 8GB/DRAM 16GB/ SSD 256GB/HDD 1TB/G-Sync – £1,799 including VAT.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Although it is a little bit sad that Aorus decided not to use 4K ultra HD display on its X5 laptops, the 2880*1620 resolution seems to be more optimal for a 15.6” display. Moreover, lower resolution also means higher performance in games. All-in-all, both Aorus X5 models seem to be decent gaming machines.

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Zotac’s develops world’s fastest GeForce GTX 960 graphics card https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/zotacs-develops-worlds-fastest-geforce-gtx-960-graphics-card/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/zotacs-develops-worlds-fastest-geforce-gtx-960-graphics-card/#comments Fri, 24 Apr 2015 22:57:11 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=246643 Zotac has developed a new GeForce GTX 960 graphics card that features rather extreme clock-rates and may easily become the world’s fastest graphics adapter based on Nvidia Corp.’s GM206 graphics processing unit. The Zotac GeForce GTX 960 Extreme Top 2GB GDDR5 graphics card features 1342/1405 base/boost GPU clock-rates, which means that it has around 20 …

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Zotac has developed a new GeForce GTX 960 graphics card that features rather extreme clock-rates and may easily become the world’s fastest graphics adapter based on Nvidia Corp.’s GM206 graphics processing unit.

The Zotac GeForce GTX 960 Extreme Top 2GB GDDR5 graphics card features 1342/1405 base/boost GPU clock-rates, which means that it has around 20 per cent higher compute performance over reference GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards. While the GPU frequencies are high, this is hardly a breakthrough since there are a lot of factory-overclocked graphics cards featuring the GM206 chip. What really sets the Zotac GTX 960 Extreme Top apart from competitors is its memory frequency: 7200MHz vs 7000MHz on all similar graphics adapters. While the increase is not truly significant, it may bring noticeable benefits in high resolutions, where memory bandwidth matters a lot.

zotac_geforce_gtx_960_extreme_top

Although the Zotac GTX 960 Extreme Top is already among the fastest graphics cards powered by the GM206 GPU, the manufacturer did everything to maximize its overclocking potential, according to a report from Expreview, which contains numerous photos of the product.

Zotac’s GeForce GTX 960 Extreme Top uses the company’s proprietary printed circuit board with 8-phase (6+2) voltage regulation module featuring solid-state chokes and high-end capacitors. The graphics card requires 6-pin and 8-pin power connectors in a bid to provide enough power to the graphics processing unit in overclocked mode. The add-in board is also equipped with Zotac’s own OC+ and PowerBoost modules designed to further increase overclocking potential.

zotac_geforce_gtx_960_extreme_top_2

In addition, the extreme graphics board from Zotac features a unique cooling system with four copper heat-pipes, a massive aluminium radiator as well as a special 3D Storm module with two small fans designed to cool-down the backside of the adapter. The primary cooler is similar to those Zotac uses for its high-end graphics boards, its performance should be more than enough even for a massively overclocked GM206. Actual benefits of the add-on cooling module may be very limited, but it may help one to squeeze all the juices from the graphics card.

zotac_geforce_gtx_960_extreme_top_1

Price of the Zotac GTX 960 Extreme Top in China is 1899 yuan (£202, $306), which is a lot for a GM206-based solution . In fact, it is uncertain whether the board will actually be sold outside of China.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Without any doubts, the Zotac GeForce GTX 960 Extreme Top seems to be an interesting solution from an engineering point of view. However, sophisticated graphics cards also carry hefty price tags. No matter how significantly you overclock the GeForce GTX 960, it will always be massively behind the GeForce GTX 970 in terms of performance. Prices of massively overclocked GeForce GTX 960 hit £215-£220 in the U.K. and $240-$260 in the U.S. By contrast, the most affordable GeForce GTX 970 can be obtained for as low as £255 in the U.K. and $307 in the U.S.

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Gigabyte unveils two GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards for mini-ITX PCs https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/gigabyte-unveils-two-geforce-gtx-960-graphics-cards-for-mini-itx-systems/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/gigabyte-unveils-two-geforce-gtx-960-graphics-cards-for-mini-itx-systems/#comments Thu, 23 Apr 2015 03:01:10 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=246313 Gigabyte Technology has quietly introduced its new GeForce GTX 960 graphics adapters designed for small-form-factor mini-ITX systems The new add-in-cards will be among the rarest graphics solutions in the industry that weds performance with tiny dimensions. The Gigabyte GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards – the GV-N960IX-2GD and the GV-N960IXOC-2GD – carry Nvidia GM206 graphics chip …

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Gigabyte Technology has quietly introduced its new GeForce GTX 960 graphics adapters designed for small-form-factor mini-ITX systems The new add-in-cards will be among the rarest graphics solutions in the industry that weds performance with tiny dimensions.

The Gigabyte GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards – the GV-N960IX-2GD and the GV-N960IXOC-2GD – carry Nvidia GM206 graphics chip with 1024 stream processors, 2GB of 7GHz GDDR5 memory, two DVI, an HDMI and one DisplayPort output. The adapters use solid-state capacitors and other high-quality components to ensure maximum reliability. The cards require one six-pin PCIe power connector and space for dual-slot cooling system to provide overclocking headroom.

The GV-N960IX-2GD graphics card can operate at 1152MHz/1203MHz base/boost GPU frequencies, whereas the GV-N960IXOC-2GD is rated to run at 1190MHz/1253MHz base/boost clock-rates.

gigabyte_geforce_gtx_960_itx_1

The graphics GV-N960IX-2GD/N960IXOC-2GD utilize similar advanced cooling systems with two copper heatpipes that directly contact the GPU and take away heat rapidly and efficiently. The fan speed is adjusted according to real-time GPU temperature in a bid to minimize noise level where possible.

The length of Gigabyte’s mini GeForce GTX 960 graphics adapters is just 17cm, which makes them compatible with all computer chassis, including small form-factor mini-ITX cases.

gigabyte_geforce_gtx_960_itx_2

Thanks to rather high performance of Nvidia Corp.’s GeForce GTX graphics processing unit, Gigabyte’s new graphics solutions will be great optios for gamers with SFF builds who still want to have proper performance in games.

Pricing of Gigabyte GeForce GTX 960 for mini-ITX builds will vary depending on the region.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The new graphics cards from Gigabyte will compete against a similar offering from Asustek Computer. Since all graphics adapters are very similar, expect the manufacturers to adjust their prices to make their solution look better in the eyes of potential customers.

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Nvdia’s partners roll-out 4GB versions of GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvdias-partners-roll-out-4gb-versions-of-geforce-gtx-960-graphics-cards/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvdias-partners-roll-out-4gb-versions-of-geforce-gtx-960-graphics-cards/#comments Tue, 03 Mar 2015 23:47:54 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=238542 Partners of Nvidia Corp. on Tuesday began to introduce their first GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards with 4GB memory onboard. The new adapters will likely demonstrate higher performance compared to 2GB add-in-cards in new games as well as in high resolutions. So far only EVGA and InnoVision Multimedia (Inno3D) have announced their first GeForce GTX …

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Partners of Nvidia Corp. on Tuesday began to introduce their first GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards with 4GB memory onboard. The new adapters will likely demonstrate higher performance compared to 2GB add-in-cards in new games as well as in high resolutions.

So far only EVGA and InnoVision Multimedia (Inno3D) have announced their first GeForce GTX 960 graphics boards with 4GB of GDDR5 memory, reports TechPowerUp, but other companies will likely follow shortly. Since many people consider amount of onboard memory as an indicator of performance of graphics adapters, expect all major makers of graphics cards to introduce GeForce GTX 960 with 4GB of memory eventually.

evga_geforce_gtx_960_4gb

4GB versions of GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards will continue to feature 1024 stream processors, 64 texture units, 32 raster operations pipelines and 112GB/s memory bandwidth, hence, they will not demonstrate radically better performance than 2GB cards carrying the same GM206 chip.

The EVGA GeForce GTX 960 4GB SuperSC ACX 2.0+ graphics card clocks GPU at 1279MHz/1342MHz (base/boost) and features sophisticated cooling system that is designed to more efficiently cool-down graphics processing unit and memory with the help of memory MOSFET cooling plate (MMCP), straight heat pipes (SHP), optimized swept fan blades and double ball bearing motor.

inno3d_geforce_gtx_960_4gb

The Inno3D GeForce GTX 960 4GB boasts with 1126MHz/1178MHz GPU frequencies as well as dual-fan cooling solution that features 0 dBA idle operation, and a detachable cooler shroud on which the card's two fans are suspended.

Prices of 4GB GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards are unknown, but they will hardly be significantly more expensive than 2GB versions.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: While 4GB graphics cards of such class will hardly offer significant performance improvement compared to 2GB versions, if one plans to use a graphics adapter for a prolonged period of time, maybe 4GB flavours make more sense…

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Asustek unveils small GeForce GTX 960 for ITX builds https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/asustek-unveils-small-geforce-gtx-960-for-itx-builds/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/asustek-unveils-small-geforce-gtx-960-for-itx-builds/#respond Tue, 17 Feb 2015 04:15:20 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=235957 Asustek Computer has introduced its new GeForce GTX 960 graphics card that is designed for small form-factor desktop personal computers. The Asus GeForce GTX 960 Mini graphics board combines rather high performance, small dimensions and relatively affordable price. The Asus GeForce GTX 960 Mini (GTX960-MOC-2GD5) sports 1253MHz GPU clock-rate, 2GB of 7GHz GDDR5 memory, high-quality components, …

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Asustek Computer has introduced its new GeForce GTX 960 graphics card that is designed for small form-factor desktop personal computers. The Asus GeForce GTX 960 Mini graphics board combines rather high performance, small dimensions and relatively affordable price.

The Asus GeForce GTX 960 Mini (GTX960-MOC-2GD5) sports 1253MHz GPU clock-rate, 2GB of 7GHz GDDR5 memory, high-quality components, DVI, HDMI and three DisplayPort outputs. The graphics adapter features one six-pin PCIe power connector and dual-slot cooling system to provide overclocking headroom. The graphics board uses an innovative thermal design that combines a heat-spreading vapor chamber and the CoolTech Fan, which uses wide-angle airflow and venting to cool critical graphics card components.

asus_geforce_gtx_960_mini

The length of the graphics card is just 17cm, therefore, it can be installed even into small mini-ITX systems. Thanks to relatively high performance that Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 960 provides, Asustek’s graphics card has all chances to become popular among gamers, who prefer ultra-small personal computers.

asus_geforce_gtx_960_mini_1

Pricing of the Asus GeForce GTX 960 Mini is unknown, but do not expect it to be too high.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The new graphics card from Asustek is not the first one from the company that is designed for mini-ITX systems. However, the Asus GeForce GTX 960 Mini is the first small form-factor graphics board to offer truly high performance at a relatively affordable cost.

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MSI offers cashback with purchase of mainboards and graphics cards https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/msi-offers-cashback-with-purchase-of-selected-mainboards-and-graphics-cards/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/msi-offers-cashback-with-purchase-of-selected-mainboards-and-graphics-cards/#respond Tue, 17 Feb 2015 03:25:48 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=235951 In a bid to strengthen its positions on the market of mainboards and graphics cards, MicroStar International initiated a new cashback promo campaign. Those, who purchase a combination of MSI mainboards with graphics cards will be eligible to get part of their money back from the manufacturer. From now on and until the 13th of …

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In a bid to strengthen its positions on the market of mainboards and graphics cards, MicroStar International initiated a new cashback promo campaign. Those, who purchase a combination of MSI mainboards with graphics cards will be eligible to get part of their money back from the manufacturer.

From now on and until the 13th of March, 2015, MSI proposes cashback to end-users who buy a selected MSI mainboard combined with a MSI graphics card at official MSI resellers. Some of the eligible products are MSI’s mainboards based on the Intel X99 core-logic, the MSI Z97 Gaming family, the Z97S SLI Krait Edition and selected H97 models. Combined with a purchase of one of MSI’s GeForce GTX 960 or GTX 970 graphics cards, or MSI’s high performance Radeon R9 290 or R9 270X cards, end users can receive cashback adding up to more than €40.

msi_promotion_cashback

The promotion is effective in 20 countries in Europe, including France, Belgium, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, UK, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Spain, Italy, Austria, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey.

Numerous resellers in the U.K. are promoting MSI’s offer, including Box, CCL, Dabs, eBuyer, Novatech, OCUK, Scan & YOYOTech.

More details about the program are available at a special web-site.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It makes a great sense for MSI to sell bundles consisting of mainboards and graphics cards. Many people upgrade mainboards, CPUs and graphics cards at once, therefore, selling a bundle maximizes MSI’s revenue per customer, an important metric these days.

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Nvidia introduces GeForce GTX 960: $199 graphics card for gamers https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-introduces-geforce-gtx-960-199-graphics-card-for-gamers/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-introduces-geforce-gtx-960-199-graphics-card-for-gamers/#respond Fri, 23 Jan 2015 07:07:30 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=232117 Nvidia Corp. has officially introduced its new performance-mainstream graphics card. The latest graphics processing solution is aimed at gamers and is designed to offer decent performance in modern titles while being very affordable. The new graphics board is optimized for lowest production costs, which means that eventually it could address other market segments. As expected, the …

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Nvidia Corp. has officially introduced its new performance-mainstream graphics card. The latest graphics processing solution is aimed at gamers and is designed to offer decent performance in modern titles while being very affordable. The new graphics board is optimized for lowest production costs, which means that eventually it could address other market segments.

As expected, the new GeForce GTX 960 is powered by the code-named GM206 graphics processing unit based on the second-generation Maxwell architecture. The chip supports all modern graphics and GPU compute technologies, including DirectX 11.3, OpenGL 4.3, OpenCL 1.1 and others. In addition, the GM206 also supports a host of proprietary Nvidia technologies like DSR, PhysX, ShadowPlay, G-Sync, GameStream and some others. The GM206 has support for H.265 (HEVC) encoding and decoding. GM206 is also fully compatible with HDCP 2.2 content protection over HDMI.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_960_official_art_artwork_style

Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 960 sports 1024 stream processors, 64 texture units, 32 raster operations pipelines and 128-bit memory bus. At 1127MHz default GPU clock-rate, compute performance of the chip is around 2.3TFLOPS. Peak memory bandwidth of the reference graphics board is 112GB/s.

Nvidia GM206 graphics processing unit is made using 28nm process technology and contains 2.94 billion of transistors. The die size of the chip is around 227mm², which means that it should be relatively inexpensive to manufacture. The 128-bit memory bus indicates that prices of printed circuit boards for the GeForce GTX 960 adapters will be also be rather reasonable.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_960_official_card

KitGuru has reviewed two Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards: Asus GTX 960 Strix OC Edition as well as Gigabyte GTX 960 G1 Gaming SOC. Both graphics boards demonstrated decent performance (for $199 graphics adapters) out-of-the-box as well as nice overclocking potential.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_960_official_card_1

All of the leading partners of Nvidia, including Asustek Computer, EVGA, Gigabyte Technology, MicroStar International, PNY, Zotac and tens of others will sell GeForce GTX 960-based graphics cards. The recommended price of the boards for the U.S. market is $199, in the U.K. the adapters will cost starting from £169, whereas in mainland Europe the adapters will be priced from €199. The majority of GeForce GTX 960 graphics adapters will feature increased clock-rates compared to the reference design.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Traditionally Nvidia sold graphics solutions based on chips with ~220mm² die sizes for $130 – $160 at launch. Right now the company sells GK106-based GeForce GTX 650 Ti for less than $99. Therefore, the GeForce GTX 960 promises to be a very lucrative solution not only for Nvidia, but also for its partners. In the future Nvidia will be able to cut-down the price of the GTX 960 very aggressively in a bid to successfully address various market segments.

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Nvidia to market GeForce GTX 960 as ‘overclocker’s dream’ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-to-market-geforce-gtx-960-as-overclockers-dream/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-to-market-geforce-gtx-960-as-overclockers-dream/#comments Sat, 17 Jan 2015 09:00:28 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=231078 As reported, Nvidia Corp.’s forthcoming GeForce GTX 960 graphics adapter will barely become a performance champion due to rather moderate specifications. In a bid to boost popularity of the graphics solution among gamers, the company is expected to market the product under “overclocker’s dream” moniker. The default clock-rate of the GM206 graphics processor on the …

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As reported, Nvidia Corp.’s forthcoming GeForce GTX 960 graphics adapter will barely become a performance champion due to rather moderate specifications. In a bid to boost popularity of the graphics solution among gamers, the company is expected to market the product under “overclocker’s dream” moniker.

The default clock-rate of the GM206 graphics processor on the reference Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 graphics card will be 1127MHz, according to a media report. However, the vast majority of graphics adapters from Nvidia’s partners will clock the GPU much higher because of excellent overclocking potential of the Maxwell architecture and the GM206 chip. Moreover, even Nvidia itself will call its GeForce GTX 960 an “overclocker’s dream” in its marketing materials, reports VideoCardz.

According to Nvidia’s press deck seen by the web-site, the GeForce GTX 960 will be able to operate at 1500MHz with air cooling, which indicates a good overclocking potential. Nvidia is also going to advertise memory overclocking capabilities beyond effective 7GT/s data-rate, according to the report.

zotac_geforce_gtx_960_nvidia
Zotac GeForce GTX 960 AMP!

Previously it was reported that the GeForce GTX 960 will feature 1024 stream processors, 64 texture units, 32 raster operations pipelines and 128-bit memory bus. At 1127MHz GPU clock-rate, compute performance of the chip will be 2.3TFLOPS. Peak memory bandwidth of the reference graphics board will be 112GB/s.

Thanks to massive overclocking potential of the GeForce GTX 960 (GM206), gamers will be able to boost performance of their graphics cards themselves, albeit, at the cost of losing warranty. If Nvidia advertises 1500MHz clock-rate, it means that it will be possible to boost the frequency even higher. Still, due to 1024 stream processors and 128-bit memory bus, performance of the GeForce GTX 960 will never get even close to that of graphics solutions that are more powerful.

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: If the information from the report is correct and Nvidia plans to sell the graphics solution under the “overclocker’s dream” moniker, then it means that the company pins a lot of hopes on overclocking potential of the GPU. While overclocking is a good thing in general, it almost never radically improves performance. Therefore, the GeForce GTX 960 will have to be competitively priced in order to be popular.

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Specs and performance of Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 revealed https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/specs-and-performance-of-nvidia-geforce-gtx-960-revealed/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/specs-and-performance-of-nvidia-geforce-gtx-960-revealed/#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2015 04:48:31 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=230413 A Chinese web-site has published what it claims to be specifications of commercial graphics cards based on Nvidia Corp.’s GeForce GTX 960 graphics processing unit as well as preliminary benchmarks of the graphics adapters. While the speed of the new boards will be significantly behind that of modern high-end graphics boards, their performance level is …

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A Chinese web-site has published what it claims to be specifications of commercial graphics cards based on Nvidia Corp.’s GeForce GTX 960 graphics processing unit as well as preliminary benchmarks of the graphics adapters. While the speed of the new boards will be significantly behind that of modern high-end graphics boards, their performance level is not low.

According to a publication of PCEva.com.cn web-site, the GeForce GTX 960 graphics card based on the code-named GM206 graphics processing unit sports 1024 stream processors, 64 texture units, 32 raster operations pipelines as well as 128-bit memory controller. Thanks to default GPU clock-rate of over 1200MHz, the new GPU will have 2.4TFLOPS of performance. Peak memory bandwidth of the GeForce GTX 960 will be around 112GB/s due to 7GHz clock-speed and 128-bit memory bus.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_logo_artwork

The GeForce GTX 960 scores P9960 and X3321 points in 3DMark 11, 6636 points in 3DMark Fire Strike, 3438 points in 3DMark Fire Strike Extreme as well as 1087 points in 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra, according to PCEva.com.cn. If the numbers are correct, then the GeForce GTX 960 will offer performance – at least in 3DMark benchmarks – comparable to that of the GeForce GTX 680 and the GeForce GTX 770.

If the GeForce GTX 960 offers performance comparable to that of the GeForce GTX 770 at around $200 price-point, it has all chances to become popular. Still, it should be noted that performance in 3DMark hardly reflects performance in actual video games.

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Since the information comes from an unofficial source, takes it with a grain of salt. However, keeping in mind that the release of the GeForce GTX 960 is near and the amount of leaks is pretty significant, the GPU configuration of the GM206 (1024 SPs, 64 Tus, 32 ROPs, 128-bit memory) seems to be correct.

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Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards from MSI pictured https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-geforce-gtx-960-graphics-cards-from-msi-pictured/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-geforce-gtx-960-graphics-cards-from-msi-pictured/#respond Sat, 10 Jan 2015 01:44:36 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=229963 Press images of Nvidia GeForce GTX 960-based graphics card from MicroStar International (MSI) have been published by a web-site. As expected, the add-in-board (AIB) manufacturer uses its own design and cooling system to provide its customers performance improvements. MSI readies at least three graphics cards powered by the Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 graphics processing unit. …

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Press images of Nvidia GeForce GTX 960-based graphics card from MicroStar International (MSI) have been published by a web-site. As expected, the add-in-board (AIB) manufacturer uses its own design and cooling system to provide its customers performance improvements.

MSI readies at least three graphics cards powered by the Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 graphics processing unit. MSI’s GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards will be based on proprietary printed circuit boards (PCBs) with 4+1 phase power supply circuitry and one 8-pin PCI Express auxiliary power connector in a bid to provide up to 225W of power to the board for maximum overclocking potential. The MSI GeForce GTX 960 OC Edition graphics adapters will feature increased performance compared to reference solutions from Nvidia.

msi_geforce_gtx_960_unofficial_1

Early Nvidia GeForce GTX 960-based graphics cards will feature 2GB of GDDR5 memory with 128-bit interface. The GeForce GTX 960-based graphics cards will feature three DisplayPort, HDMI and DVI connectors, reports VideoCardz.

MSI’s graphics cards featuring the GeForce GTX 960 graphics processors will use a new Armor 2X cooling solution that is believed to be more affordable than the TwinFrozr V coolers used on more advanced graphics boards. The coolers will feature heat-pipes and two fans, but will not stop fans when AIBs are not under heavy use.

msi_geforce_gtx_970_anniversary_2

The MSI GeForce GTX 960 graphics adapters will be available in red, green and white colour schemes.

msi_geforce_gtx_960_unofficial

Nvidia and MSI did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It looks like the launch of the GeForce GTX 960 2GB graphics cards is imminent and in less than two weeks' time the new AIBs will hit the market. However, the main intrigue – performance of the new solutions – remains unknown.

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Image of GeForce GTX 960/GM206 GPU hits the web https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/image-of-geforce-gtx-960gm206-gpu-hits-the-web/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/image-of-geforce-gtx-960gm206-gpu-hits-the-web/#comments Wed, 07 Jan 2015 03:02:18 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=229270 A web-site has published what it claims to be the photo of Nvidia Corp.’s code-named GM206 graphics processing unit that will power the company’s forthcoming GeForce GTX 960 graphics adapter. If the image published by VideoCardz web-site is a legitimate photo of Nvidia’s code-named GM206 graphics processing unit, then it confirms two things things. Firstly, …

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A web-site has published what it claims to be the photo of Nvidia Corp.’s code-named GM206 graphics processing unit that will power the company’s forthcoming GeForce GTX 960 graphics adapter.

If the image published by VideoCardz web-site is a legitimate photo of Nvidia’s code-named GM206 graphics processing unit, then it confirms two things things. Firstly, Nvidia does have the GM206 chip at hands. Secondly, the chip is smaller than the GM204 and is designed for a different market segment. The GPU is marked as the “GM206-300-A1”, which means that this could be the first commercial revision of the graphics processor.

The new chip features slightly different packaging than the GM204 does, it does not have a protective metal frame (which points to the fact that the GPU does not require a massive cooling system). The exact size of the chip cannot be determined, but given the fact that it is rumoured to have a 128-bit memory bus and appropriate packaging, the chip should be rather small. Moreover, its rectangular form indicates that Nvidia wants to maximize the number of such chips on a wafer.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_960_gm206

A cpecial design, decreased size, narrow memory bus, rectangular form and some other things indicate that Nvidia intends to maximally optimize manufacturing cost of the chip and graphics adapters on its base. This means that Nvidia has rather big plans for the GM206 GPU.

Low-cost graphics processors with high performance tend to become bestsellers among gamers. However, in the recent years all popular performance-mainstream graphics cards from both AMD and Nvidia featured 256-bit memory bus to maximize memory bandwidth and let the chips show their potential. Unfortunately, 256-bit memory bus also has a drawback: it requires higher amount of memory chips as well as a more expensive eight- or ten-layer printed circuit board (PCB). The usage of 128-bit memory bus indicates that Nvidia wants to be able to drop the price of the GM206-based graphics cards to very low price-points, which is why it needs a narrow memory bus to let its partners use low-cost PCBs. But will the GeForce GTX 960 perform really well with 128-bit memory?

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: While we can be sure now that the GM206 will be a rather low-cost graphics solution, we are not that sure that it will become truly popular on the market because of its performance. While it is possible to set a very low price and boast with price/performance ratio, gamers will not buy graphics cards that do not meet certain performance criteria. Therefore, it would be better for the GM206 to actually perform very well despite its narrow memory bus and potentially limited memory bandwidth.

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PC maker discloses performance of Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M SLI https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/laptop-maker-discloses-performance-of-nvidia-geforce-gtx-965m-sli/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/laptop-maker-discloses-performance-of-nvidia-geforce-gtx-965m-sli/#comments Tue, 06 Jan 2015 20:49:24 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=229227 Aorus, a maker of gaming notebooks, has revealed benchmark results of two Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M graphics processing units in SLI mode. Indirectly, this gives an idea about performance of the company’s forthcoming mobile graphics chip with moderate power consumption. According to Aorus, its new Aorus X5 laptop based on an unknown Intel processor and …

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Aorus, a maker of gaming notebooks, has revealed benchmark results of two Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M graphics processing units in SLI mode. Indirectly, this gives an idea about performance of the company’s forthcoming mobile graphics chip with moderate power consumption.

According to Aorus, its new Aorus X5 laptop based on an unknown Intel processor and two GeForce GTX 965M graphics processing units scores P12000 points in 3DMark11 Performance benchmark, which is, according to the manufacturer, 15 per cent higher compared to a single GeForce GTX 980M graphics solution.

3dmark_11

While it is unclear what processor powers the Aorus X5 laptop, there are two logical options, given the fact that this is a premium gaming machine with a 4K UHD (3840*2180) display: Intel Core i7-5557U “Broadwell-U” (two cores with Hyper-Threading, 4MB L2, 3.10GHz – 3.40GHz clock-rate, 28W) and Intel Core i7-4910MQ (four cores with Hyper-Threading, 8MB L2, 2.90GHz – 3.90GHz clock-rate, 47W). While exact CPU models can be different, these two are the most likely candidates to power such system since they boast high clock-rates.

Depending on the processor that Aorus used inside the notebook it tested – dual-core or quad-core – the P12000 points in 3DMark11 could point to the fact that two GeForce GTX 965M SLI can deliver performance equal to that of:

While it is hard to accurately assume what to expect from a single GeForce GTX 965M (and hence estimate its specifications), we now more or less clearly know what to expect from two of such graphics cards.

aorus_notebooks

Keeping in mind that device ID of the GeForce GTX 965M points to the GM204 graphics processing unit, it is logical to presume that the part sports 1024 stream processors, 64 texture units and operates at relatively low clock-rate. If it had a higher amount of SPs, its performance would be higher. Still, any suggestions about exact specs of any unannounced parts are generally very speculative.

Aorus and Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: In fact, the GeForce GTX 965M, given high energy-efficiency of Nvidia’s Maxwell graphics architecture, should be a decent graphics solution for gaming notebooks. The main advantage of the product should be its relatively low power consumption and heat dissipation. If this conditions are met, then laptop makers will be able to create very thin gaming systems with decent performance in the latest titles, something that is not available today. However, we have no idea regarding actual power consumption of the GeForce GTX 965M as well as plans to create thin gaming systems. The only company that has tried to build such PCs is Razer, hence, hopefully, the Blade will soon receive an upgrade to its graphics sub-system…

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Aorus introduces X5: Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M in SLI and 4K IGZO display https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/anton-shilov/aorus-introduces-x5-nvidia-geforce-gtx-965m-in-sli-and-4k-igzo-display/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/anton-shilov/aorus-introduces-x5-nvidia-geforce-gtx-965m-in-sli-and-4k-igzo-display/#comments Tue, 06 Jan 2015 19:56:06 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=229220 Aorus, a notebook gaming brand that belongs to Gigabyte Technology, introduced its most advanced gaming laptop computer yet at the Consumer Electronics Show 2015. The Aorus X5 notebook boasts two yet-unannounced GeForce GTX 965M graphics processing units as well as 15.6” ultra-high-definition (UHD) display with 4K resolution based on Sharp’s IGZO technology. The new Aorus …

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Aorus, a notebook gaming brand that belongs to Gigabyte Technology, introduced its most advanced gaming laptop computer yet at the Consumer Electronics Show 2015. The Aorus X5 notebook boasts two yet-unannounced GeForce GTX 965M graphics processing units as well as 15.6” ultra-high-definition (UHD) display with 4K resolution based on Sharp’s IGZO technology.

The new Aorus X5 laptop is based on an unknown Intel Core i-series processor with DDR3 memory and a solid-state drive. The graphics sub-system of the new laptop is powered by two Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M graphics processing units which deliver 15 per cent more performance than Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M mobile graphics solution, according to manufacturer. At present Aorus does not reveal exact configurations of the system, but claims that it scores P12000 points in 3DMark11 Performance benchmark.

One of the key innovations of the Aorus X5 is its 15.6” display that is made by Sharp. The monitor uses an IGZO panel with 3840*2160 resolution, which makes the X5 laptop one of the industry’s first notebooks with a 4K 15.6” screen. While the display delivers crystal-clear resolution, it should not consume more energy than standard 15.6” panels since IGZO technology promises to reduce power consumption compared to contemporary thin-film-transistor panels, such as TN, IPS or *VA.

aorus_x5

Although the laptop is clearly very powerful and employs two graphics processing units, it is not very thick (22.9mm) or heavy (2.5 kilograms). In fact, its weight and dimensions are similar to those of non-gaming laptops released several years ago.

Battery life of the laptop remains unknown. Moreover, it is unclear whether the laptop supports Nvidia Optimus dynamic graphics switching technology that is designed to switch off discrete GPUs when the laptop uses its battery power. Therefore, it is not clear whether it will be possible to use this notebook as a normal mobile PC for work on the go.

The Aorus X5 will be available in the second quarter of the year at a price-point between $2299 and $2799.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The combination of high-performance graphics sub-system and a 4K UHD IGZO display is clearly something that should appeal to gamers. I am not sure whether 4K resolution is something you must have on a 15.6” monitor and how will Windows 8.1 look in this case, but in general, when it comes to resolution, the higher the better. If you are in the market for a relatively small form-factor gaming notebook, then the Aorus X5 is a machine to look at.

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Nvidia to release three new GeForce GTX graphics cards this month https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-to-release-three-new-geforce-gtx-graphics-cards-this-month/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-to-release-three-new-geforce-gtx-graphics-cards-this-month/#comments Sat, 03 Jan 2015 03:35:39 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=228659 Nvidia Corp. plans to introduce three new GeForce GTX graphics cards later this month, according to a new media report. The new graphics cards will offer different levels of performance and will address various market segments. Three new graphics cards to be announced are GeForce GTX 960, GeForce GTX 960 Ti and GeForce GTX 965 …

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Nvidia Corp. plans to introduce three new GeForce GTX graphics cards later this month, according to a new media report. The new graphics cards will offer different levels of performance and will address various market segments.

Three new graphics cards to be announced are GeForce GTX 960, GeForce GTX 960 Ti and GeForce GTX 965 Ti, reports Wccftech web-site. Although the graphics boards will have similar model numbers, they are projected to be powered by different graphics processing units and therefore will offer completely different levels of performance.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_660_1

The GeForce GTX 960 is projected to be based on a brand-new code-named GM206 chip with 128-bit memory bus and unknown amount of stream processors. The GeForce GTX 960 Ti and GeForce GTX 965 Ti are reportedly powered by cut-down GM204 graphics processors with 256-bit memory bus. The GeForce GTX 960 Ti will sport 1280 stream processors, whereas the GeForce GTX 965 Ti will feature 1536 stream processors.

Given the fact that the GeForce GTX 960 sports a rather low-performance graphics processing unit, the card will barely beat the GeForce GTX 760, according to data published by Iyd.kr. The GeForce GTX 960 Ti and 965 Ti graphics boards will offer considerably higher performance, which is comparable to that of the GeForce GTX 780.

Nvidia-Geforce-GTX-960-GTX-960-Ti-GTX-960-Ti-Ultra

It is expected that all three new GeForce GTX graphics cards will be announced on the 22nd of January, 2015.

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Although performance of the GeForce GTX 960 graphics card does not seem to be high, its success on the market will depend on its price.

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Possible GeForce GTX 960 launch date and price revealed https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/possible-geforce-gtx-960-launch-date-and-price-revealed/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/possible-geforce-gtx-960-launch-date-and-price-revealed/#comments Fri, 19 Dec 2014 23:59:29 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=227496 Nvidia Corp. and its partners will start to sell their next-generation performance-mainstream graphics solutions GeForce GTX 960 about a month from now for around $200, according to a report from a Japanese web-site. While the date of the launch now seems to be more or less clear, specifications of the forthcoming products are still not …

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Nvidia Corp. and its partners will start to sell their next-generation performance-mainstream graphics solutions GeForce GTX 960 about a month from now for around $200, according to a report from a Japanese web-site. While the date of the launch now seems to be more or less clear, specifications of the forthcoming products are still not known.

Sales of of Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 960 will begin on the 22nd of January, 2015, according to a report from Hermitage Akihabara web-site, which usually receives launch dates from sources in Japanese retail industry. Based on earlier reports, Nvidia intended to start selling its GeForce GTX 960 graphics solution in late January, therefore, the new leak confirms that plan.

According to the report, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 graphics card will carry recommended price tag of around ¥25000 in Japan, which means that in the U.S. the board will likely cost $199 – $229. Prices in Europe and the United Kingdom are unknown, but expect something like €179 – €199 in Eurozone and £149 – £189 in the U.K., respectively.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_660

Earlier this month it was reported that Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards will be based on the company’s new code-named GM206 graphics processing units. Exact specifications of the chip and the card are unclear, but it is logical to expect around 1280 stream processors, 256-bit memory bus as well as 4GB of GDDR5 memory.

Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 960 will be based on the second-generation Maxwell architecture and will replace GeForce GTX 760-series graphics cards from the market over time.

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: A Maxwell-based graphics card with 1280 stream processors and for $199 should offer a very nice price/performance ratio out-of-the-box. Given excellent overclocking potential of the GM204, it is possible to expect something similar from the GM206 too. Therefore, the GeForce GTX 960 could become extremely popular among gamers in budget.

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Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 to use GM206 graphics processing unit https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-geforce-gtx-960-to-use-gm206-graphics-processing-unit/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-geforce-gtx-960-to-use-gm206-graphics-processing-unit/#comments Tue, 09 Dec 2014 05:21:39 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=225441 Nvidia Corp.’s next-generation graphics card for performance-mainstream market segment may not feature GM204 graphics chip, but will be powered by the code-named GM206 processing unit, according to a media report. Previously it was expected that Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 960 graphics card will be based on the code-named GM204 graphics processing unit that is used for …

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Nvidia Corp.’s next-generation graphics card for performance-mainstream market segment may not feature GM204 graphics chip, but will be powered by the code-named GM206 processing unit, according to a media report.

Previously it was expected that Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 960 graphics card will be based on the code-named GM204 graphics processing unit that is used for the company’s GeForce GTX 970 and GTX 980 graphics cards. However, the company will use its all-new GM206 graphics processor on GeForce GTX 960 graphics adapter, reports SweClockers.

It is noteworthy that GeForce GTX 965M will be based on the GM204 chip with 1024 or 1152 stream processors. If performance of the GeForce GTX 960 and the GeForce GTX 965M is similar, then the amount of stream processors inside both graphics solutions should be similar.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_660

Nvidia reportedly plans to introduce its GM206 graphics processor and the GeForce GTX 960 graphics card at the Consumer Electronics Show in early January, but actual sales will start only later next month.

Exact configuration of the GM206 is unknown, but its price is expected to be around $200. Given that Nvidia’s GM204 graphics processor has 400mm² die size, it is logical for the company to introduce a smaller chip for $200 graphics cards.

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

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KitGuru Says: Given the fact that Nvidia GeForce GTX 760 graphics card sports GK104 graphics chip with 1152 stream processor, the GeForce GTX 960 should sport higher amount of stream processors to deliver higher performance.

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Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M spotted in drivers https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-geforce-gtx-965m-spotted-in-drivers/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-geforce-gtx-965m-spotted-in-drivers/#comments Thu, 04 Dec 2014 21:12:46 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=224868 Nvidia Corp. has quietly added GeForce GTX 965M graphics adapter into its drivers. The listing of the graphics solution could mean that the new graphics processing unit is already shipping to notebook PC makers and may be unveiled shortly. Theoretically, it could also mean that desktop version of the product – the long-awaited GeForce GTX …

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Nvidia Corp. has quietly added GeForce GTX 965M graphics adapter into its drivers. The listing of the graphics solution could mean that the new graphics processing unit is already shipping to notebook PC makers and may be unveiled shortly. Theoretically, it could also mean that desktop version of the product – the long-awaited GeForce GTX 960 – is also approaching the market.

The list of supported graphics cards of Nvidia GeForce drivers version 344.77 WHQL includes previously unannounced GeForce GTX 965M (Nvidia device ID 13D9, NVIDIA_DEV.13D9) as well as N16P-GX (Nvidia device ID 139B, NVIDIA_DEV.139B) graphics adapters, which are based on Nvidia GM204 and Nvidia GM107 graphics processors, respectively (based on their chip IDs – 13D and 139).

The GeForce GTX 965M will be a younger brother of the GeForce GTX 970M and 980M, which are powered by the same GM204 graphics processing unit. Exact configuration of the GeForce GTX 965M is unknown, but it is logical to expect the graphics adapter to feature either 1152 stream processors and 72 texture units or 1024 stream processors and 64 texture units. It is not completely clear why Nvidia decided to introduce the GeForce GTX 965M and not the 960M.

The N16P-GX graphics solution powered by the first-generation Maxwell chip code-named GM107 may carry the GeForce GTX 950M or the GeForce GTX 960M name. Specifications of the GM107 graphics processing unit are well known: it features 640 stream processors, 40 texture units, 16 raster operating pipelines and 128-bit memory bus. If Nvidia attributes the GTX 960M model number to a GM107-powered graphics adapter, then performance gap between the GTX 960M and the GTX 965M will be rather huge.

Maxwell_GM204_DIE_3D_V17_Final

Since laptop makers usually introduce their new notebooks at the Consumer Electronics Show in early January, it is highly likely that Nvidia plans to formally unveil its GeForce GTX 965M and other new GPUs for notebooks next month as well.

Hypothetically, Nvidia could introduce its desktop GeForce GTX 960 along with mobile version early next month, but since graphics solutions for desktop computers hardly excite mass end-users today, it hardly makes a lot of sense to do it. It is more likely that the multimedia chip designer will roll out its highly anticipated performance-mainstream graphics card later in the second half of January, or even in February.

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

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KitGuru Says: Recently Nvidia admitted that mainstream laptops do not need standalone graphics processing units. Moreover, a lot of contemporary mobile platforms from Intel Corp. are not designed to support discrete GPUs. Given the fact that those, who need high-performance notebooks hardly need graphics solutions that barely beat integrated graphics cores from Intel or AMD, it will be very interesting to see the lowest-performing GeForce GTX 900M. Will the company add low-end solutions like GeForce 820M or GeForce 830M with 96 and 256 stream processors, respectively, into the new family of GPUs? Or will it abandon such graphics chips completely?

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Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 to retain 256-bit bus and 4GB of GDDR5 memory https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-geforce-gtx-960-to-retain-256-bit-bus-and-4gb-of-gddr5-memory/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-geforce-gtx-960-to-retain-256-bit-bus-and-4gb-of-gddr5-memory/#comments Tue, 11 Nov 2014 23:59:56 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=221467 Nvidia Corp.’s forthcoming performance-mainstream graphics card – GeForce GTX 960 – will not only utilise rather high-performance GM204 graphics processor, but will also retain 256-bit memory bus and 4GB of GDDR5 memory, which will likely result in high performance in high resolutions. According to Zauba.com database, which monitors imports and exports to and from India, …

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Nvidia Corp.’s forthcoming performance-mainstream graphics card – GeForce GTX 960 – will not only utilise rather high-performance GM204 graphics processor, but will also retain 256-bit memory bus and 4GB of GDDR5 memory, which will likely result in high performance in high resolutions.

According to Zauba.com database, which monitors imports and exports to and from India, a sample of the GeForce GTX 960 graphics card has 256-bit memory bus and 4GB of GDDR5 memory clocked at 6GHz. The graphics processor of the GTX 960 sample is clocked at 933MHz, according to the filing.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_980_maxwell

The fact that the GeForce GTX 960 features 256-bit memory bus means that it also sports 64 raster operations pipelines. However, exact configuration the GM204 GPU is unknown. In a bid to create a gap between performance of the GeForce GTX 970 and the GeForce GTX 960, Nvidia could only enable 11 streaming multiprocessors on the latter, which means that it will sport 1408 stream processors and 88 texture units.

It is expected that Nvidia will launch the GeForce GTX 960 graphics card in the first quarter of next year. While exact pricing of the board is unknown, expect it to cost less than $249 in North America and less than €249 in mainland Europe. The price of the card in the U.K. will likely be around £200.

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It is necessary to say that Nvidia will unlikely roll-out its GeForce GTX 960 graphics card before it has enough GM204 processors and before its partners get rid of GeForce GTX 760- and GTX 770-series graphics boards. If the demand for the previous-generation graphics adapters is low this holiday season, the GeForce GTX 960 will see the light of the day rather later than sooner since performance-wise it should leave all older cards of the same class significantly behind.

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Nvidia postpones release of GeForce GTX 960 graphics card https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-postpones-release-of-geforce-gtx-960-graphics-card/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-postpones-release-of-geforce-gtx-960-graphics-card/#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2014 10:08:34 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=215494 Although Nvidia Corp. was expected to release its GeForce GTX 960 graphics solution in October, 2014, a new market rumour suggests that the company will only launch its new performance-mainstream graphics card in 2015. Nvidia is now expected to release its GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards in the first quarter of 2015, according to a …

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Although Nvidia Corp. was expected to release its GeForce GTX 960 graphics solution in October, 2014, a new market rumour suggests that the company will only launch its new performance-mainstream graphics card in 2015.

Nvidia is now expected to release its GeForce GTX 960 graphics cards in the first quarter of 2015, according to a report from Hermitage Akihabara. As a result, this year the company will continue to offer GeForce GTX 970 and 980 graphics cards for the high-end market as well as previous-generation products for other market segments.

Exact reasons why Nvidia decided to postpone the launch of the GeForce GTX 960 are unknown, but given the fact that the solution is expected to be based on the code-named GM204 graphics processing unit, which also powers GeForce GTX 970 and 980, it is likely that Nvidia may not have the right amount of cut-down GM204 chips to support a high-volume launch right now. The demand for the GeForce GTX 970 and 980 graphics cards seems to be very high, therefore, Nvidia uses all the chips it has to build enough high-end/high-margin graphics cards.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_660

The lack of Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 960 on the market means that the company will create additional demand for its higher-end offerings and will also let its arch-rival Advanced Micro Devices sell more graphics solutions (such as AMD Radeon R9 285 and 285X) that cost around $250.

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

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KitGuru Says: Keeping in mind that the GM204 chip is pretty large and expensive to manufacture, it does not make a lot of sense for Nvidia to use fully-fledged GPUs in cut-down configurations. By Q1 the company will likely collect a necessary amount of GPUs with damaged execution units that cannot be used for GeForce GTX 970 and 980 graphics cards. It makes a great sense to use such graphics chips for inexpensive solutions.

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Nvidia to skip GeForce GTX 800 series, to introduce GeForce GTX 970, GTX 980 in mid-September https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-to-skip-geforce-gtx-800-series-to-introduce-geforce-gtx-970-gtx-980-in-mid-september/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-to-skip-geforce-gtx-800-series-to-introduce-geforce-gtx-970-gtx-980-in-mid-september/#comments Fri, 29 Aug 2014 03:23:26 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=209448 Although it was expected that Nvidia Corp. would release its new GeForce GTX 800-series graphics cards for desktops this September and October, the company has decided to skip the GeForce 800 family for desktop PCs and jump straight to the GeForce 900 line of products. Model numbers of modern central processing units and graphics processing units have …

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Although it was expected that Nvidia Corp. would release its new GeForce GTX 800-series graphics cards for desktops this September and October, the company has decided to skip the GeForce 800 family for desktop PCs and jump straight to the GeForce 900 line of products.

Model numbers of modern central processing units and graphics processing units have been criticized criticized for years since in many cases they barely reflect performance and positioning of products and in many cases cannot even determine their generation. At present Nvidia offers high-end GeForce GTX 700-series of products for desktop computers. At the same time, the company sells GeForce GTX 800M family of products for notebooks. What is rather confusing is that both lineups – the GTX 700 and the GTX 800M – are based on similar chips powered by the Kepler architecture.

In a bid to avoid confusion with its upcoming families of graphics processing units for desktop and mobile computers, Nvidia decided to sell its products powered by the second-generation Maxwell GPUs code-named GM200, GM204 and other under the GeForce 900 moniker, reports VideoCardz.

nvidia_artwork

As a result, Nvidia is now expected to formally introduce the GeForce GTX 970 and the GeForce GTX 980 graphics cards on the 19th of September, 2014. The GeForce GTX 960 is projected to arrive sometime in October.

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: While the idea to sell similar generation of chips under similar model numbers makes a lot of sense, it should be kept in mind that in order to complete the GeForce 900 and the GeForce 900M product lines, Nvidia will likely add old chips into new families and therefore will confuse end-users again.

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