A tale of two GF FX's

[WaltC]

I speculated awhile back that I felt nVdia would have rocks in its corporate head if the only nv30 product it released was the 500MHz Dustbuster version (for all of the obvious reasons.) According to a blurb on www.driverheaven.net a web site has received pics and confirmation on an Ultra and a 400MHz GF FX, supposedly direct from Brian Burke.

(Edit: here is the direct link DriverHeaven references: http://www.geforcezone.com/index.php#oxynews-1247 )

I have to admit I find it odd, though, that BB would single this site out, because I haven't read this "confirmed" story anywhere else. But if nVidia wants the idea to get out and start circulating so that a 400MHz GF FX doesn't "surprise" anyone, I suppose a slow leak from an obscure site might be the way to go about it (maybe.)

Another thing that puzzles me about this site's supposed info from the horse's mouth is the pricing--the site is saying that the 500MHz Ultra version will be priced at $399 and the 400MHz standard version will be priced lower than that. This seems to indicate the site's info comes not from BB but from the various premature ads infiltrating the 'net these days--you know the "available-Feb. 5th-switched-to-March 9th" ads that say $399. This also stands in sharp contrast to the many, many European reports of ~$600US for the Ultra that we've heard. So I'm inclined to think that this site is fabricating BB's involvement here, and that it will be the 400MHz version of the GF FX that sells for $399 and will be available in March and that the Ultra version at 500MHz will become available 30-60 days later (April-May) and cost ~$600. But I'm just guessing of course, and my guess would have to mean that BFG doesn't know its arse from its elbow, as well.

As both a GF FX and a GF FX Ultra are listed in nVidia's current Detonators, it would appear certain that nVidia will indeed ship two speed grades of the GF FX, and as the GF FX Quadro is shipping at 400MHz it seems obvious that the speed grades will be 400MHz and 500MHz, vanilla and Ultra, respectively. But nVidia's doing such a thorough job of confusion right now that it's hard to be sure of anything. Any consensus?

 

[Crusher]

http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11205639

 

[BoardBonobo]

I presume we find out on Monday, if hints over at 3DGPU are anything to go by.

 

[WaltC]

http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11205639

I saw that last night and noted no clock speed apparent on the page anywhere... However, they are calling it the "Ultra"...*chuckle*.... Ah, puzzles within enigmas....

 

[Crusher]

Considering BFG only ever mentioned making a 500 MHz version, and that speed is consistent with the Ultra version being whispered about, it makes sense. At least, it makes more sense than releasing the 500 MHz version for $600 in April.

 

[Arun]

www.nvnews.net and www.3dgpu.com seem to have recieved the exact same information from Brian. And Brian Burke is certainly not a liar
So that information IS legit.


Uttar

 

[WaltC]

www.nvnews.net and www.3dgpu.com seem to have recieved the exact same information from Brian. And Brian Burke is certainly not a liar
So that information IS legit.


Uttar

I don't think I said anything about BB being a "liar".... What I said was that....come on, do I really have to repeat myself? Reread the post....

My question to you is do you think they actually received it themselves, or that they are simply parroting what they saw in the Driver Heaven link...? I hate to say it but much of what passes as news on the "modern Internet" is merely one site copying another...it's the favored way of spreading bad information, you know.

I think the story as reported by Driver Heaven has some inconsistencies--namely, that everybody in Europe is reporting the GF FX Ultra is going to cost $600US. Even the last blurb I saw from Andrew Humber, complete with pictures, stated a $600 Euro, $640US price tag for the 500MHz version--and that interview was done just a couple of days ago.

 

[Arun]

I know Brian Burke is always in contact with nV News. So it seems unlikely they'd say such a thing if he didn't say it directly to them.

If Brian Burke didn't say it directly to them and they said he did, then he might get angry at them. And considering how good those relations seems to be, I doubt nV News would want that.

So my guess is simply that Brian Burke e-mailed every nVidia associated site.


Uttar

 

[demalion]

I'll just point out that the $399 price for the ultra is phrased as "$399 for preorder" where I've seen it.

While I don't buy the $600 price, I do feel it necessary to point out one possible source of conflicting reports (actually, there are so many remaining, I suppose it isn't helpful).

 

[surfhurleydude]

damn, my old nick doesn't work any more

anywho....

so the onslaught of disgruntled ATi fanboys begins

 

[WaltC]

I know Brian Burke is always in contact with nV News. So it seems unlikely they'd say such a thing if he didn't say it directly to them.

If Brian Burke didn't say it directly to them and they said he did, then he might get angry at them. And considering how good those relations seems to be, I doubt nV News would want that.

So my guess is simply that Brian Burke e-mailed every nVidia associated site.


Uttar

It might very well be true that BB did this...and you might be right in that the "info", such as it is, is only going to sites nVidia has in its pocket--that's entirely likely and I can't and won't dispute it.

But I still think it's odd that you have nVidia employees like Andrew Humber stating that the 500MHz version will cost $600 and a few days later all of these mysterious ads go up--some without any clockspeed listing as I noticed with the CompUSA PNY ad and now the BFG Best Buy ad--for $399. Also, many of them at first reported an availability date of 2/5, which has since been changed to 3/9, and several of them, if not all of them, originally reported a 350m Triangle/per second number which has universally been changed to a 200mT/sec number.

You tell me, then--why would you think it irrational to suppose that $399 covers the 400MHz GF FX, since it would *appear* there is indeed going to be such a beast? All I'm saying here is that a guess that $399 buys you a 400Mhz GF FX would not, all things to date considered, be an irrational guess at all. It may indeed be a wrong guess, but it is certainly not irrational.

 

[WaltC]

damn, my old nick doesn't work any more

anywho....

so the onslaught of disgruntled ATi fanboys begins

As suitably commented on by disgruntled nVidia fanboys...come on man, discuss it intelligently if you're going to discuss it at all...

 

[WaltC]

I'll just point out that the $399 price for the ultra is phrased as "$399 for preorder" where I've seen it.

While I don't buy the $600 price, I do feel it necessary to point out one possible source of conflicting reports (actually, there are so many remaining, I suppose it isn't helpful).

D,

I think this is a very good possibility...However, I would not rule out the bait 'n switch--notice that the clockspeed on the Best Buy pre-order page is simply not there....instead, it's described as "blazing fast"...hardly a precise specification, wouldn't you agree? I think it would be very silly for anyone to assume the clockspeed will be 500MHz for pre-order invitations which do not state the specific clockspeed of the gpu, and which are priced lower than expected to begin with.

 

[surfhurleydude]

I think this is a very good possibility...However, I would not rule out the bait 'n switch--notice that the clockspeed on the Best Buy pre-order page is simply not there....instead, it's described as "blazing fast"...hardly a precise specification, wouldn't you agree? I think it would be very silly for anyone to assume the clockspeed will be 500MHz for pre-order invitations which do not state the specific clockspeed of the gpu, and which are priced lower than expected to begin with.

You tell me to disscuss intelligently, but can't follow your own words? BFG specifically said that they're releasing only one version of the GeForce FX, the Ultra. Even if they did release another version, however, the specs of the Ultra are already WELL known, and there's obviously NO DOUBT whether or not a product is an Ultra piece or a regular piece. If Best Buy labels the card as an Ultra, it therefore MUST have the 500/500 speeds, or else it is not an Ultra card. Thus, it is 400 for the Ultra.

 

[Crusher]

http://www.bfgtech.com/fx_product_gfx.html

Specifications
• Controller: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5800 Ultra
• Bus type: AGP
• Memory: 128MB DDR-II
• Memory Bandwidth: 16 GB/second (32GB with compression)
• Core clock: 500MHz
• Memory clock: 500MHz (1000 DDR-II)• RAMDAC: 2 @ 400MHz each
• Connectors: VGA, Tv Out, DVI-I
• 200 million triangles/sec

 

[Doomtrooper]

http://img.hexus.net/personal/NV30.jpg

256 Megs shown here for the 'Ultra'

 

[Crusher]

I think the ammount of memory is a vendor-choice feature, not part of the Ultra spec. Same with types of output connectors, game bundles, etc. I could see the 256MB version of the Ultra being close to $600 U.S.; maybe that's where the Europeans got their pricing from.

 

[Arun]

No nVidia employee said the GFFX was going to cost $600 - and if one did, I've missed it.
Someone working at a nVidia partner said 600 Euros in Europe.
And if you assume that's $600, I guess you're living in America.

600 Euros include a 20% VAT tax. It also includes importation costs and higher taxes for a lot of things.
Something which costs 600 Euros would probably cost between $400 and $450 in the USA. Lucky Americans!

The fact, now, is that the GFFX Ultra preorders are going to be at $399
Maybe beside the preorders, the GFFX Regular will be at $399 and the GFFX Ultra at $499. Or maybe the prize for the Ultra will remain $399 and Brian is just hoping for more people to preorder by making this vague.
We don't know. It would just be speculation right now. And quite futile speculation, too.


Uttar

 

[WaltC]

You tell me to disscuss intelligently, but can't follow your own words? BFG specifically said that they're releasing only one version of the GeForce FX, the Ultra. Even if they did release another version, however, the specs of the Ultra are already WELL known, and there's obviously NO DOUBT whether or not a product is an Ultra piece or a regular piece. If Best Buy labels the card as an Ultra, it therefore MUST have the 500/500 speeds, or else it is not an Ultra card. Thus, it is 400 for the Ultra.

Yes, and BFG also "said" they'd be shipping on 2/5 in the beginning, and actually made quite a point of changing the Triangles/sec figure to 350mT/sec from 200mT/sec, only to silently change it back again to the lower number.

So you tell me--why doesn't the Best Buy preorder page have the gpu clockspeed listed--they list everything else? I happen to think it's a legitimate question. I'd also appreciate it if you'd tell me where the nVidia employees like Andrew Humber get $640US from for the Ultra pricing...?

As for BFG...I myself will wait a *long time* before buying anything from this splinter offshoot of VisionTek--the only bright spot here is that BFG is just a reseller and won't actually make any GF FX's itself--which also highlights why they've gotten some of the details wrong so far on what they've announced.

Again, I'm not saying that the Ultra's won't ship initially for $399. What I'm saying is that I won't be surprised if it turns out to be the 400Mhz versions of the product that actually ship for that price.

 

[Crusher]

Newegg also has a pre-order for the PNY 128MB 500/500MHz GeForceFX card for $399. It appears that will be the standard MSRP. I wouldn't be suprised if NVIDIA is taking the brunt of the overhead costs for the PCBs and coolers, just to keep the card companies happy and keep market prices competitive.