NVIDIA's upcoming high-end single-GPU graphics card, based on the GM200 silicon, which debuted with the GTX TITAN X, will feature a silicon marked "GM200-310." The SKU will be named GeForce GTX 980 Ti, and is more likely to be priced around the $600-650 mark, than replacing the $550 GTX 980 off the shelves. Going by the way NVIDIA re-positioned the GTX 780 to $499 with the introduction of the GTX 780 Ti, we imagine something similar could happen to the GTX 980. From what we gathered so far, the GTX 980 Ti will be based on the GM200 silicon. Its CUDA core count is unknown, but it wouldn't surprise us if it's unchanged from the GTX TITAN X. Its different SKU numbering shouldn't be an indication of its CUDA core count. GTX 780 Ti and GTX TITAN Black had different numbering, but the same CUDA core counts of 2,880.

The card will feature 6 GB of GDDR5 memory across the chip's 384-bit wide memory interface. It will feature five display outputs, similar to that of the GTX 980. Unlike with the GTX TITAN X, NVIDIA partners will have the freedom to launch custom-design GTX 980 Ti products from day-one. There are two theories doing rounds on when NVIDIA plans to launch this card. One suggests that it could launch in mere weeks from now, probably even on the sidelines of Computex. The other suggests that it will launch towards the end of Summer, as NVIDIA wants to make the most cash from its existing GTX 980 inventory.

NVIDIA reportedly adjusted launch of the GeForce GTX 980 Ti, to after Summer, 2015. The company could be using the time to let the market digest existing inventories of the GTX 980 (and avoid the repeat of slow sales on its GTX 770), particularly in the early-Summer season, when PC enthusiasts and gamers tend to upgrade or build afresh. The time could also be spent to watch what AMD comes up with, for its Radeon R9 390X.

The R9 390X, scheduled for a June-July launch, is based on a silicon that looks competitive with the GM200 on paper, and introduces a few new features, such as high-bandwidth memory (HBM). The GTX 980 Ti could feature an identical core-configuration to the GTX TITAN X, but feature half the memory amount at 6 GB, different clock speeds, and freedom for add-in card (AIC) partners to innovate custom-design cards.

NVIDIA is preparing its second GeForce graphics card based on its 28 nm GM200 silicon, which powers the $1,000 GTX TITAN-X. There are several rumors surrounding what NVIDIA could name the card. Some sources suggest NVIDIA could name it the GeForce GTX 980 Ti, while others point at names such as the GTX 990 (to set it sufficiently apart from the smaller GM204-based GTX 980).

The SweClockers report that sides with GTX 980 Ti for the name, mentions that the card could feature the chip's full complement of 3,072 CUDA cores, but feature 6 GB of memory, compared to 12 GB on the GTX TITAN-X. The memory bus width will stay at 384-bit. NVIDIA could allow its add-in card (AIC) partners to come up with custom-design cards, and so we could expect some cards with meaty cooling solutions (that keep the chip away from its 84°C temperature-throttle), and factory-overclocked speeds, to make the GTX 980 Ti even faster than the GTX TITAN-X. NVIDIA could time its launch with AMD's launch of the Radeon R9 390X.