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As you know, KitGuru has big love for the inventor of the original 3D card and all they have done for the world. However, nVidia is about to engage in a real ‘take your balls in your hands' exercise as it phases out the GTX460 in favour of the brand new GTX560. KitGuru looks at the nature of the risk and reveals some more details in the process.
Reading KitGuru means that you're of above average intelligence, experienced in the deep, dark art of technology and – no doubt – better looking and richer than the average person. Well, maybe. What is certainly true is that you will have followed the market for some time. As a result, you will be aware of the most perilous product changes in recent years. Best example we could think of? Intel Q6600.
As it turned out, Intel went from strength to strength with its CPU, but it was some tough decision to choose to end the life of the enthusiast market's favourite processor.
Following the limp launches of the initial GTX480, 470 and 465, nVidia managed to nail the GTX460. It single-handedly stemmed the Rise of the Radeons which had, until then, threatened to wipe nVidia from the graphics map altogether. GTX460 wasn't only a good product in its own right, it also proved that there was a solid set of technical concepts underpinning the Fermi project.
OK, enough plaudits for the best card nVidia has launched in the past 4 years.
Time to pull out your slaughter knife and end its existence.
So what will the replacement look like?
GTX560 will come out of the traps at a ferocious 820MHz.
We're going to plant one of our world famous ‘Flags of our Predictions' and say that there's no chance that the GTX560 will be as overclockable as the GTX460. Why? Well, the GTX460 was very conservative. Now that nVidia is feeling secure in TSMC's ability to deliver, the baseline clock will be that much higher.
GTX460 launched at a very conservative 675MHz. In almost no time at all MSI (Hawk) and EVGA (FTW) were selling versions of the GTX460 that clocked up near 1Ghz. Having some headroom built in for overclocking is one thing, but allowing almost 50% is just plain crazy. Better to create a new SKU and make a lot of customers pay extra for the boost.
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So, for now, that's it.
KitGuru says: GTX 560 looks like a monster and any nVidia fan who rushes off to buy a GTX 460 ahead of the new product launching on the 25th, needs their head testing.
If you have an opinion to share on this new card, we'd love to hear about it.
But will it be good of a deal enough not to pay around 275 euros for a 2GB 6950 with an option to firmware it into a 6970?
Fanboyisms apart, please: I’m talking about MY money. 😉
I think it’s all going to depend on the price point. If it’s $300, I’d be better off getting two GTX460’s for that price and OC’ing them to heck and back.
$200, There’s no compelling reason for the GTX460.
$250, I can probably do better with all the used 460s that will be unloaded by the early adopters.
On the other hand, if the build in mind is already SLI, no, you’re probably not going to do much better short of the 580.
If memory serves me, 3Dfx invented the ‘original 3D card’. Nvidia’s subsequent purchase of said company does not in turn give them that accolade.