Nvda's new chipFunny on the same day ATI says it's new chip is shipping for the holiday season, NVDA releases it's new chip, available in stores in February.
Reuters
Nvidia releases long-awaited graphics
processor
Monday November 18, 1:49 pm ET
LAS VEGAS, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Chip designer Nvidia Corp.
(NasdaqNM:NVDA - News) on Monday unveiled its long-awaited,
next-generation graphics chip, which it said was the first capable of
delivering real-time, movie-quality images for DVDs and video games
played on desktop computers.
Nvidia, appearing at the
annual Comdex technology
trade show in Las Vegas,
said the GeForce FX,
formerly known by the code
name NV30, would be
available in stores next
February.
Nvidia said the new chip has
twice the transistors of its
predecessor, the GeForce 4,
and was the first graphics
chip to break the 500
megahertz speed mark. The Santa Clara, California-based company
said the chip was also the first to use memory running at 1 gigahertz.
The company announced partnerships with some of the top builders
of PCs designed for high-quality video game play, like Falcon
Northwest and Alienware, to build the GeForce FX into new systems.
It said a number of top game developers were designing new games
using the new technology.
Earlier this year, Nvidia had initially targeted a limited launch of
add-in PC graphics cards based on the chip for the holiday season.
Some brokerages, including Prudential Securities and Pacific Crest
Securities, had cited concerns over the timing of the chip's release in
recent commentary.
Nvidia's closest rival, Canada's ATI Technologies Inc.
(Toronto:ATY.TO - News), has already launched its competing
high-end chip, the Radeon 9700.
Nvidia generates most of its revenue from graphics chips for PCs,
PC add-on cards, laptops and high-end workstations. In recent years
it has moved into graphics chips for video game consoles and
integrated chips for PCs that handle functions like networking and
peripheral control.
Nvidia shares rose 89 cents, or 6.6 percent, to $14.36 in afternoon
Nasdaq trade.