Nvidia's NV40 unchallenged in the power race

ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
edited April 2004 in Science & Tech
Wow.. while NV40 may (potentially/allegedly) push the envelope for graphics card technology, it most certainly seems that it will come at a price...
IN THE NEAR future, we are pretty sure that Nvidia is going to win the graphics crown back from ATI, but not by a huge amount. This will, as usual, last for about two weeks until the next product cycle kicks in, and the brass ring is once again up for grabs. If you think ATI will sit still, think again, it will fight tooth and nail.
Nvidia will win one race hands down, the power race. I am sure you have seen the pictures of the NV40 boards floating around here and there, and saw the two molex connectors sticking off the back. If this didn’t clue you in, let me tell you right out, Nvidia will be unchallenged in the power race.

Not only will the card lie closer to Prescott than Tejas on the power scale, but it will also have some really nasty asterisks after the two molex connectors on the requirements sheet. Those asterisks are the killer.

It seems each of those connectors will need to be plugged into a separate power rail, and nothing else can be plugged into that rail. OK, they will let you put a fan into it, but anything more is strictly forbidden. You can just hear the good folk at Antec doing the happy dance. Power supply upgrade time people.

Now, before you go off and start criticising Nvidia the same way you are rapping Intel, let me say there is a big difference. Intel was bitch-slapped by the press over Prescott because it didn’t perform and it sucked power. The NV40 will, by all accounts, will perform, and perform well. The juice sucking is secondary.
Well we feel only time will tell. As soon as we can get an NV40 in our greedy mitts, alot may change....

Source: The Inquirer

Comments

  • EyesOnlyEyesOnly Sweden New
    edited April 2004
    Is it april fools again. :scratch: Even if it brings graphics quality that are more realistic then the dinosaurs from Jurassic park that is just to much. 2 powerplugs. :grumble: OMFG. They must hope that pci-express will come really soon. :D
  • godzilla525godzilla525 Western Pennsylvania Member
    edited April 2004
    Too bad. I'm using a Y adapter and they're just going to have to live with it... but they can have the ATX12V P4 connector that I'm not using ;D
    EyesOnly wrote:
    ...Even if it brings graphics quality that are more realistic then the dinosaurs from Jurassic park that is just to much...
    Well now that you brought that up maybe not...it's been way too long since I've seen any good dinosaur games (messy ones that aren't educational)... :shakehead
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited April 2004
    There was one that came with the original iMac, I believe... :D
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited April 2004
    2 diffrent rails, eh? I'd have to look, but I think I could swing that.

    I'm getting the 8900XT once the price drop kicks into gear. I still can't bring myself to spend half a grand on a video card.
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited April 2004
    I wonder how much extra voltage is actually needs.
  • EyesOnlyEyesOnly Sweden New
    edited April 2004
    I wonder how much extra voltage is actually needs.

    Not sure we wanna find that out. :D:eek:
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited April 2004
    it's not voltage, it's amperage.
  • GnomeWizarddGnomeWizardd Member 4 Life Akron, PA Icrontian
    edited April 2004
    looks like ati might need more power too


    Well, balls or the knowledge that your only real competitor is doing it also. Yes, you heard that right, ATI is going the dually path also. So, what does this mean to the average person? Power supply upgrade time.

    http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=15246
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited April 2004
    I have a very hard time believing that they require a power supply upgrade, if you already have a decent one.

    My dual PIII system (dual 1GHz PIIIs, Tyan S1837 i440GX board, 512MB, Radeon 9000, 5 HDDs, DVD burner, CD Burner), runs off a 350w Antec that's been modified with Vantec Stealths hooked up to it's thermally controlled fan headers, so it runs hotter than it did stock. It has zero stability problems. My dual athlon system can run quite happily off an Antec 400w.

    I'll believe that these cards actually NEED that large of a power supply when I see it.
  • Omega65Omega65 Philadelphia, Pa
    edited April 2004
    Dual P3 1.0ghz only pull 70watts. Less than a single Thunderbird 1.4ghz (75watts) and much less than dual Barton 2500+ (130watts)

    Think about a system with an overclocked P4 >120watts and a GPU also pulling >120watts from the same 12v PSU power source. With those power requirements your looking at 400w minimum.

    And I send some rumors that the NV40 needs 150+watts....
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited April 2004
    Better go ATI then. It doesnt have nearly as many transistors to need all that power.
  • godzilla525godzilla525 Western Pennsylvania Member
    edited April 2004
    Geeky1 wrote:
    There was one that came with the original iMac, I believe... :D
    ...oh like heck I'm going get a mac to play games... :sawed: I think I remember seeing it on one of the Macs (not iMac) at a computer lab I was in several years ago... I also remember commenting that my i740 was faster... :D
  • MedlockMedlock Miramar, Florida Member
    edited April 2004
    I'll live. 520 watts won't get it's @$$ kicked for a while I think. :D
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