nVidia Changing Names To Current Cards

[AngelfireUk83]

Source: http://forums.vr-zone.com/showthread.php?t=334531

AS IF ITS OLD naming scheme wasn’t complex enough, Nvidia has gone and done it again, hoping that by adding a few more Gs 'n' T and Ss into the mix, it can make its old cards seem more appealing.

Rumours of the Nvidia name shuffle have been floating around for a while now, but today a VR-Zone forum thread (link above) established that a file in the Forceware 178.15 beta graphics drivers did indeed have details about the changes.

Apparently, the Nvidia_G92.DEV_0615.1 is to become Nvidia Geforce GTS 150, whilst Nvidia_G94.DEV_0626.1 becomes Nvidia Geforce GT 130 and Nvidia_G96.DEV_0646.1 magically transforms into Nvidia Geforce GT 120.

The re-branding will reportedly apply to all 55nm GeForce 9-series cards although it remains unclear whether current cards will also get the peel-off-old-and-stick-on-new-name sticker treatment.

So, to follow what appears to be Nvidia’s bizarrely-complicated and irrelevant re-naming process, the Geforce GTS 150 is a die-shrunk Geforce 9800 GTX+ which is a faster Geforce 9800 GTX which is a faster 8800 GTS 512.

Similarly, a Geforce GT(S) 1xx is a die-shrunk Geforce 9800 GT which is just a Geforce 8800 GT with Hybridpower.

Lost yet? Wait, there’s more.

Apparently the Geforce 9600 GSO is a renamed GeForce 8800 GS, the Geforce GT 130 is a die-shrunk Geforce 9600 GT and the Geforce GT 120 is a die-shrunk Geforce 9500 GT. Feeling green with nausea?

It is also important to bear in mind that the 9800GTX+ is 55nm, so it really is ONLY getting a name change. Also, despite the fact that most 9800GTXs are 65nm, there are also 55nm 9800GTXs, so they’re also only getting rebranded.

The INQ asked Nvidia if it cared to comment as to why it had to renamed the cards. We suggested it sounded like a case of flogging old lamps as new.

In trying to shift a whole load of parts sloshing about the channel due to them no longer being competitive, re-labelling them seemed lthe easiest way to go about things, apparently.

We politely waited all day for a response which we didn’t receive.

If Nvidia thinks it can change a few names and hoodwink card-buyers into buying cards with neither boosted performance or lower prices, the firm, obviously, still has much to learn about the name of the game. µ

 

[Essenar]

Man. I really wish Nvidia would just start playing nice. Where's a 240GTX or 220GTX?

Something based on the GT200 hardware that's a real budget card and can really compete with the 4850, 4650 and so on?

I mean, ATI did their full range HD4000 cards properly. They have great performance.

Sigh.

 

[nd4spdbh2]

cmon nvidia... keeping the same base core (g92) around for THREE SERIES... wtf.

 

[freakdiablo]

Man. I really wish Nvidia would just start playing nice. Where's a 240GTX or 220GTX?

Something based on the GT200 hardware that's a real budget card and can really compete with the 4850, 4650 and so on?

I mean, ATI did their full range HD4000 cards properly. They have great performance.

Sigh.

They can't do that, because that would make sense.

 

[e6600]

id love to have some of the new die shrunk 8800gt's, if the price is right

 

[Mr.Guvernment]

NVIDIA is feeling the sting from ATI so they are trying to push out to the n00bs "new cards" when it isn't new..

Anyone else think NVIDIA was finally caught with their pants down this run and even though they are moving to 55nm, they really have nothing else to show right now... so they are grasping at straws so to speak..

this should be made an illegal pratice...

 

[SniperXX]

I think its stupid. I was kinda out of the loop with the 8800 and 9800 series recently and once I started looking at specs I was so confused. I like the old days when you knew where an item stood with the other ones. Now your stuck have to do extra research to find out what it actually is because the naming scheme is dumb.

 

[Shiggity]

haha what a joke, even Nvidia fanboys would have trouble defending these moves.

 

[ghost_recon88]

Why on earth would you rename a card that's already been released? What's wrong with the current name

Do all nVidia cards need to be called "GTxxx" now because the current gen cards are "GTXxxx"? They think that by renaming them to "GTxxx", that will make them faster then they currently are?

 

[jayfella]

i have to say i was an nVidia lad - loved the 6 series, 7 series was their greatest feat, 8 series got a little iffy, but was still up there fighting. 9 series... weeelll... i moved to a 4850...

You cant argue with fact. nVidia is losing ground. Bigstyle. They might have the crown for best graphics card - but thats about it.

Out-manouvered in key areas, holes in other key areas (no answer to the 4850) ... hope they can come back and re-light the feud....

 

[necrokiller]

They might have the crown for best graphics card - but thats about it.

Isn't that all that matters?

-manouvered in key areas, holes in other key areas (no answer to the 4850)

9800GTX+ ?

 

[jayfella]

Isn't that all that matters?

It shows what they are capable of, but they just cant make it cost-effective. I know you were saying that in jest, but its true. nVidia are expensive, and you dont get anything for those extra bucks except a voice in the back of your head shouting at you for not going ATI.

9800GTX+ ?

Think i must have meant the 4870. Been reading so many reviews lately... In fact. scratch that. i dont think i know what im talking about today. Too much caffeine. Not enough sleep.....

 

[ratbuddy]

Think i must have meant the 4870. Been reading so many reviews lately... In fact. scratch that. i dont think i know what im talking about today. Too much caffeine. Not enough sleep.....

Oh, the GTX 260 then..

To the rest of the hecklers, you do realize there is a die shrink involved with the 'new' cards, right?

 

[nd4spdbh2]

Oh, the GTX 260 then..

To the rest of the hecklers, you do realize there is a die shrink involved with the 'new' cards, right?

die shrink to what... 55nm showed up in 9800gtx+ and if im not mistaken some of the 8800gt's (aka 9800gt) already have the 55nm die shrink. .... no sence in renaming it AGAIN... unless they are going down to 45 or 40nm then all this really is is a renaming scheem, and a die shrink of low end stuff.

im just as confuzed as all yall with all this naming... i see a 8800gts g92 and when its the same as a 9800gtx and a slightly larger process as a 9800gtx+ and GTS1XX whatever, i ask myself, is nvidia having problems.

 

[Shiggity]

Nvidia's lineup is just too saturated right now, they have way too many mid range cards competing against each other atm. Their high end and low end are fine.

I agree with them changing the naming scheme to all GTxxx. The + tags on some cards was a big mistake.

 

[>HyperlogiK<]

To the rest of the hecklers, you do realize there is a die shrink involved with the 'new' cards, right?

It doesn't matter, the naming scheme makes it seem like a huge mess when it's only a little one. But how it seems is all that matters.

 

[Mr.Guvernment]

Why on earth would you rename a card that's already been released? What's wrong with the current name

Do all nVidia cards need to be called "GTxxx" now because the current gen cards are "GTXxxx"? They think that by renaming them to "GTxxx", that will make them faster then they currently are?

Not but it will trick those into not knowing better to buy these cards thinking they are the latest and greatest

 

[Freezer7Pro]

Lol, I say.

I miss the days when you could just see that 7800GTX is faster than the 7800GT, which is faster than the 7600GT, which is faster than the 7600GS, which is faster than the...

 

[ratbuddy]

Lol, I say.

I miss the days when you could just see that 7800GTX is faster than the 7800GT, which is faster than the 7600GT, which is faster than the 7600GS, which is faster than the...

That's what they're trying to do, lance the boil. You'll be able to see GTS ### and GTX ### and just look at the number..

 

[Neural Net]

They might have the crown for best graphics card - but thats about it.

Nope, there's a little something called a 4870 X2. Sure Nvidia has the most powerful GPU, but it doesn't offer the most powerful card.

The revised GTX260 is also not good enough, in AnandTech's own words:

"The Radeon HD 4870 1GB is a better buy than both the GTX 260 and core 216 variant."

9800GTX+ ?

Not here in the UK at least, the GTX+ commands a premium over the 4850, and the 4850 is actually faster overall.