2002-10-01 Nvidia nForce2 Upgraded version of nForce, now with USB 2.0, DDR-400, the 333 MHz FSB, 3 Firewire ports, 3Com 10/100 Ethernet, Dolby Digital decoder and Ultra-ATA 133. To be launched in four versions, GT, G, ST and S. The G-versions with GeForce4 graphics, and the T versions with Firewire support. Graphics said to perform at the Geforce4 MX 420 level.
2003-05-12 Nvidia GeForce FX 5900 Successor to NV30 formerly known as NV35 with 4x2 architecture and a 8x1 mode for single texturing. Internal register file twice the size of that of NV30, removing a known bottleneck. NV30 differences from Tom's:
- DDR(-I) memory at 425 MHz instead of DDR-II memory at 500 MHz
- Memory bus widened from 128 to 256 bits
- Memory bandwidth of 27.2 GB\/s (NV35), up from 16 GB\/s (NV30)
- GPU clockspeed decreased from 500 MHz to 450 MHz
- Ultra versions of the FX 5900 will carry 256 MB RAM
- New, much less noisy cooling solution
- CineFX gains new "UltraShadow" feature and is now called CineFX 2.0
- IntelliSample optimizations, especially color compression, have been improved and renamed IntelliSample HCT (High Compression Technology)
- In addition to the FX 5900 Ultra 256 MB ($499 ESP), a standard FX 5900 128 MB ($399 ESP), and a GeForceFX 5900 Value 128 MB ($299 ESP) will also be offered.
Some rumours indicate that the core includes Pixel Shader 3.0 support, even if no drivers support it.