Nvidia GeForce 2 Ultra Preview (Page 5 of 5)

Posted: August 14, 2000
Written by: Dan "Tweak Monkey" Kennedy

Evaluation/Analysis

At $499 (estimated retail price), the GeForce 2 Ultra is a chip that's definitely targeted toward hardcore gamers. Since the GeForce 2 GTS is already fast enough for most gamers, the GeForce 2 Ultra may seem useless... but it's not. Because it is so fast, you can now run a game at a higher resolution and detail level than before, with the same frame rate, or better than you could with a GeForce 2 GTS.

Giants: bump mapping vs. no bump mapping (click to enlarge)

So, is NV16 (GeForce 2 Ultra) the ticket? Well, that all depends on if you're willing to spend the bucks to get the performance. For the price, a GeForce 2 GTS is a much better deal. But if you want full bragging rights or you've got the money to spare, by all means, indulge.

NV20

If you're waiting for NV20, take into consideration this e-mail, sent out by Nvidia PR rep, Diane Vanasse:

"Hi guys, I know many of you are curious to know what is going on with NV20 and we wanted to let you have some insight into our strategy. Our strategy is to rollout a new product every six months. Through these rollouts we maintain a steady moores law cubed performance gain. (2x every six months) We haven't missed a season yet.

This season, with NV16 we are following Moores Law cubed precisely. It is four times faster than NV10.

Regarding NV20, we time our new architectures based on the the availability of new process technology (.15 micron), new API's, (DX8) and the market's readiness to digest the new features. This all comes together next season.

Conclusion

Nvidia prides itself in being ahead of the competition. And in the case of the GeForce 2 Ultra, there is no doubt that it is currently the fastest chip available for 3D gaming. Expect to see the GeForce 2 Ultra in stores everywhere within a month or two. As always, thanks for reading.

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