New Graphics Chip May Change Approach to High-End Graphics Cards Design

From X-bit Labs: Nvidia Corp.’s new flagship graphics processing unit (GPU), which is due to be out sometimes in Q2 2009, is projected to feature substantially, but not dramatically higher computing performance compared to predecessors. In fact, the new code-named Nvidia GT212 chip may be suited very well for high-end dual-chip graphics cards, which may mean that Nvidia is shifting to multi-GPU configurations from “megachips”.

Nvidia GT212 (G212) graphics chip will feature 384 stream processors, 96 texture units and 256-bit GDDR5 memory controller, according to Hardware-Infos web-site. The processor will be made using 40nm process technology by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and will contain about 1800 million transistors amid roughly 300mm² die size. It is rumoured that the product will be released commercially sometime in Q2 2008.

It is noteworthy that the GT212 chip has 34% smaller die size amid 28% increase in transistor count compared to GT200b chip (55nm version of that GT200/G200, which is also sometimes called GT206, G200b or G206) and is nearly two times smaller than the GT200 processor from Nvidia.

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