Rumour control: GeForce GTX 260 GX2 in Jan

[ChampionLLY]

Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 280 chips might be the fastest single-GPU offerings at the moment, but they’re having a tough time competing with the Radeon HD 4870 X2 at the top end. The problem is that the GTX 280 is a packed 65nm chip that Nvidia recommends powering with a 40A 12V rail, and putting two of them on a card would make an extremely hot and power-hungry beast. However, the rumour is that Nvidia is planning a dual-GPU GTX 260 card after the company has shifted the GPUs to a 55nm process.

Tech site Expreview claims to have spoken to an anonymous informer, who says that Nvidia is planning to make GeForce GTX 260 GX2 card with two GTX 260 GPUs, and that the cards will be released in January 2009.

We asked Nvidia about the rumour, but were given the usual line that Nvidia ‘can’t comment on unannounced products.’ However, the move would make sense given that the dual-GPU Radeon HD 4870 X2 is currently a major threat to Nvidia at the top end of the market. What’s also interesting is that the rumour concerns a dual- 260 card, rather than a card with two 280 chips, implying that even a move to a 55nm process still wouldn’t make a dual-280 card practical, if this rumour is true.

Of course, this is all very much just rumour and speculation at the moment, so take it all with a firm pinch of sodium chloride.

Source: Rumour control: GeForce GTX 260 GX2 in January | News | Custom PC

[Adrian Wong]

That would be quite a challenge. The GTX 260 is slower than the Radeon HD 4870 so the GX2 version will likely still be slower than then 4870 X2.

There's no way they can do a GX2 with the GTX 280. It just takes up way too much power on its own.

[ChampionLLY]

That is true in single core single card scenario.

But when you look at SLI/CF cases, a pair of GTX260-core216 is capable of beating HD4870X2

[Adrian Wong]

Originally Posted by ChampionLLY

That is true in single core single card scenario.

But when you look at SLI/CF cases, a pair of GTX260-core216 is capable of beating HD4870X2

The thing is NVIDIA normally runs their GX2 cards at lower clock speeds. I'm pretty sure they would have to do that as well for the GTX 260 GX2.

[g0tanks]

Originally Posted by Adrian Wong

That would be quite a challenge. The GTX 260 is slower than the Radeon HD 4870 so the GX2 version will likely still be slower than then 4870 X2.

There's no way they can do a GX2 with the GTX 280. It just takes up way too much power on its own.

The new GTX260 216 is better than the 4870 sometimes, especially the XFX GTX260 Black Edition: XFX GTX260 Black Edition Review - Overclockers Club

It's better than the 4870 in everything and sometimes even comes close to a stock GTX280.

And the GTX280 GX2 would indeed use too much power and generate way too much heat.

[Max_87]

Originally Posted by Adrian Wong

That would be quite a challenge. The GTX 260 is slower than the Radeon HD 4870 so the GX2 version will likely still be slower than then 4870 X2.

There's no way they can do a GX2 with the GTX 280. It just takes up way too much power on its own.

The GTX260 216 is beating the 4870 with the new drivers from what I read. I think it should be safe to assume that GTX260 GX2 can easily beat 4870 X2.

[g0tanks]

Originally Posted by Max_87

The GTX260 216 is beating the 4870 with the new drivers from what I read. I think it should be safe to assume that GTX260 GX2 can easily beat 4870 X2.

Yep, as long as the application scales well with SLI.

[Adrian Wong]

Originally Posted by Max_87

The GTX260 216 is beating the 4870 with the new drivers from what I read. I think it should be safe to assume that GTX260 GX2 can easily beat 4870 X2.

That's assuming they would be using the 216 type, and not the original GTX 260.

[g0tanks]

Originally Posted by Adrian Wong

That's assuming they would be using the 216 type, and not the original GTX 260.

You got a point there, maybe they'll do that to get rid of the left over chips

[Max_87]

Originally Posted by Adrian Wong

That's assuming they would be using the 216 type, and not the original GTX 260.

I think it will definitely be the 216, they need something that's faster than 4870 X2, not slower.