Wednesday, March 25th 2009
Single-PCB GeForce GTX 295 in the Works
Traditionally, NVIDIA designs dual-GPU accelerators with two PCBs holding a GPU system each. With the GeForce GTX 295 and its competitive pricing, NVIDIA found itself in a difficult position, as it faces direct competition from ATI with its now competitively priced Radeon HD 4870 X2. On the one hand, escalating manufacturing costs due to extreme competition with the sub-$300 graphics card market, is making it difficult for NVIDIA to keep up with GTX 295 stocks, on the other its repercussions that include bad press and losses due to not being able to keep up with demand, have pushed NVIDIA to rethink a way to make the GeForce GTX 295.
Enter innovation. The company is reportedly redesigning the GeForce GTX 295, this time on a single PCB design, which ATI has been using for its dual-GPU accelerators. Both GPU systems of the GTX 295 will be placed on a single PCB. This is expected to significantly bring down manufacturing costs, allowing the company to keep up with demands and competitive pricing. Expreview sourced the drawings of one of the prototypes, which shows a long single PCB card, with a central fan. You will also observe that there is a back-plate in place. It shows that a number of memory chips will be populated on the back, and both GPU systems on the front. It will be an engineering challenge, to populate five major heat-producing components (two G200b GPUs, two NVIO2 processors, and one BR-03 bridge chip), 28 GDDR3 memory chips, and the VRM area to power it all. The new redesigned card may surface internally in April, and may enter production by May.
Source:
Expreview
Enter innovation. The company is reportedly redesigning the GeForce GTX 295, this time on a single PCB design, which ATI has been using for its dual-GPU accelerators. Both GPU systems of the GTX 295 will be placed on a single PCB. This is expected to significantly bring down manufacturing costs, allowing the company to keep up with demands and competitive pricing. Expreview sourced the drawings of one of the prototypes, which shows a long single PCB card, with a central fan. You will also observe that there is a back-plate in place. It shows that a number of memory chips will be populated on the back, and both GPU systems on the front. It will be an engineering challenge, to populate five major heat-producing components (two G200b GPUs, two NVIO2 processors, and one BR-03 bridge chip), 28 GDDR3 memory chips, and the VRM area to power it all. The new redesigned card may surface internally in April, and may enter production by May.
74 Comments on Single-PCB GeForce GTX 295 in the Works
the very very LARGE majority of the market only use 1 gfx card with a tiny portion of the total gaming market actually using SLI /Crossfire.
Why not have coolers on the back and front? - yeah the card wont be SLI /Crossfire compatible but so what - make that for single card users, who ARE the large majority of the market.
And in fact it would still be able to SLIX2 on a SLIX3 supporting board and for ppl who really need 2 gfx cards , and ppl who NEED 3 gfx cards can actually just go sit outside, because they simply DO NOT represent any significant share of the common gaming market, (No-matter how much they try and flame after this post) and they can use other cards if they really need to.
I'm coming across wrong here - What I'm trying to say is that Single card gamers are the biggest share of the market - there should be cards designed for that market (IE : Using space on the top and the bottom)
And there is plenty of room for VRMs in the middle of the card, it would definitely be a tight squeeze, but I think it could all fit.
Once again, ATi's original concept of 2 gpu's on the same PCB has proven to be the better solution. Sandwich cards are for hungry people lulz. now let NVidia struggle with heat dissipation on this one. :)
I'm just getting sick of this backwards theory that plagues the IT industry in general : "Oh it might not work perfectly in every situation - so lets rather not even attempt to innovate whatsoever"
I dunno - Maybe I'm just pissed because my lotto numbers never come in...
You know what they say "if the cap fits....." I dont wear it myself on this occasion as I currently own ATi so cant really be an Nvidia fanboi
:p
And that shows that the general approach of single pcb is better, in terms of manufacturing costs and availability, especially in the long term. ATi must of made the math and stick to this design.
I'm glad NVidia is doing this, as this will lower the costs for everyone, and keep the market competitive.
The big question for me is how much more does it cost to produce it the way it is now compared to setting up a design team to redesign it and then cutting the cost of it.. Only to have a new model to replace it in just a few months.. Surely money and time spent on a redesign won't drive this product down more than $100..
Now if the price goes down to ATI's x2 prices, it would be a great deal, but ATI won't let them get that close.. At least without releasing something just under it for less or reducing it's already discounted line..
But in the end, I'd put money on this thing not being widely available or only being available for a very short period of time.. But then again, what do I know..;)
I don't hate NVidia, i hate the SANDWICH design.
OnionMan, the hope is for them to stop making these sandwiches permanently, and stick to one pcb designs for good. no matter how long this new 295 lasts on the market, the important thing is the change in design approach imo. :toast:
Also, nVidia aren't investing all this time and money in a redesign for the good of the consumer - since a single-PCB card will be cheaper to produce, they can put a higher margin on it, while still offering it to the consumer at a lower price than the current GTX 295. So everyone wins - except the overclockers (and AMD).