We've all heard about NV20, this
is in fact NVIDIA's codename for the GeForce3 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU).
This new GPU now has more transistors then your average CPU, yes it has well
over 57 million transistors on the silicon that was fabricated with a 0.15
micron fabrication technology.
In a recent interview John Carmack
(head Quake programmer) said that this GPU will have an impact the same as 3dfx
had with the release of the Voodoo2 series videocards. I tend to agree with him.
Realism is getting closer into 3D scenes/games and the new GeForce3 now has the
ability to be programmed. In short: programmers have the ability to develop
their own 3D effects and the GeForce3 will display it. Programmers aren't stuck
anymore to a basic set of features and effects. Instead of developers having to
choose from the same hard-coded palette of effects and ending up with the same
generic look and feel, they can specify personalized combinations of graphics
operations and create their own custom effects.
The ability to program the
GeForce3 gives the 3D programmer the ability to develop an endless amount of
new effects, this is why the GeForce3 has the nickname 'nfiniteFX GPU' You know
.. infinite effects.
In the upcoming pages I'll explain
new technologies like 'programmable vertex shaders, programmable pixel shaders,
lightspeed memory architecture and the quincunx anti-aliasing system briefly
with you after which I will launch an arsenal of benchmarks on the videocard to
see how well it behaves in several environments.
The GeForce3 videocards that will
be released are all running steadily at a 200 MHz core speed. The first series
will all be launched with 64MB memory based upon 3.8ns memory. The nominal and
default speed for this memory will be a clock frequency of 460 MHz (230 MHz DDR).
The GeForce3 has four pixel-pipelines, therefore the maximum Pixel fillrate will
be 800 MPixels/sec. That's the same as the geForce2 Ultra, still this videocard
will be faster due to it's ‘lightspeed memory architecture’ which I will explain
later.
Let's take a brief look on how the
GeForce3 builds a scene.
