Nvidia expected to offer DirectX 10.1 GPU in Q1 2009

[shadow2get]

Source

Chicago (IL) – Nvidia so far declined to provide any information if and when the company will consider to support the DirectX 10.1 API in its GPUs, a technology that is integrated in AMD’s Radeon cards for some time now. Roadmap information we stumbled across today offers a bit more clarity and suggests that the company’s next-generation desktop and notebook chips will support DirectX 10.1.

DirectX 10.1 has been a confusing story for most of us, with no clear indication which graphics card you should buy to be able to get access to the best feature set. ATI Radeon cards as well as S3 have been supporting DirectX 10.1 for a while now, but Nvidia remains silent about its future API plans – leaving the gaming market and its customers in uncertainty.

A presentation slide we received, but unfortunately cannot share with you in order to protect our source, clearly states that Nvidia will offer DirectX 10.1 support with its next-generation notebook GPUs that are scheduled for a spring 2009 release. DirectX 10.1 is also likely to be offered in the next desktop GPU generation, which should debut either late in Q4 2008 or Q1 2009, with a possible ramp throughout Q1 and Q2 of 2009.

So, what does that mean? Well, it depends on your view.

What we know for sure is that with Nvidia’s decision to support DX10.1, the industry will be embracing this API.

On the very high end, it may mean that you should think twice about spending $500 or more on a DX10.0 card. DX10.1 cards may be the better value proposition, if you want to run the latest games and don’t want to buy another $500 card six months from now. Nvidia’s new GPU generation, we hear, will also be 1.5 to 2 times faster than the current technology.

This decision may also have some implications for AMD. Realistically, AMD has a six-month advantage over Nvidia in terms of API support right now and also appears to have competitive hardware in place as well. If AMD plays this game smart, it should be able to regain market share, as the 4800 series may be the more attractive technology for computer graphics at this time – at least for those of us with a limited budget.

Oh, and we almost forgot: Nvidia will also switch to GDDR5 memory, most likely within 2008. As GDDR5 chips are more available, we expect first Nvidia GDDR5 cards to hit the market in Q4.

[sagargv]

this was bound to happen. . .this should particularly help those guys interested in gtx280 , 9800GX2. ..

[The Conqueror]

Yeah this would further reduce the prices of GTX280 ..
Great news!

[utsav]

8800gt is dx10.1 compliant afaik

[csczero]

it may sound noobish to all ..... but why windows xp cant be made compatible with directx 10

[infra_red_dude]

^^^ Coz then nobody would buy Vista!

[MetalheadGautham]

Originally Posted by infra_red_dude

^^^ Coz then nobody would buy Vista!

bingo.

Thats one of the main selling points of MS Vista - it plays games which MS XP can't.

[dOm1naTOr]

i think nvidia once said, DX 10.1 is useless and they ll shift to DX 11 directly when time comes.

Originally Posted by utsav

8800gt is dx10.1 compliant afaik

[Pathik]

Nah. Utsav. No nVidia card supports DX10.1 yet.