The success of nVidia's GTX 460 and GTS 450 in folding is becoming more evident. In particular, the GTS 450 can easily produce 14,000 PPD at a very low rate of energy consumption.However, it seems even now, they are not yet being fully exploited; the GTX 460 still possesses hidden reserves of strength that existing units are not exploiting. In our hardware test, we told you that we achieved less than 9,000 PPD, but the newer units are grossing up to 11,700 PPD. In this post on the Folding Forum, Imran Haque talks about his hopes for performance gains on the card, comparing PPD gains with the GTX 480.
So, will this run of form continue?
Yes and no, as PC-INpact's news announces the release of a successor to the current cards, due for release in 2011. The novelty is that this chip will not be brand new, as nVidia seek to move to a tick-tock strategy similar to that used to great effect by Intel. This will entail alternating improvements between chips, as one generation will bring a new architecture and then the next will bring a die shrink. The launch of Fermi was a fiasco as nVidia attempted to produce a new architecture on a new manufacturing process at the same time, leading to low yields and lots of chips needing to be binned as useless.
The new Fermi chips with simplified design (such as that used on the GTX460) are an indication of how the process is now much more controlled and simplified. The design will remain in 2011, but we should see a die-shrink for GF100, GF104 and GF106 that should allow faster clock speeds than are currently possible.
Fermi will be replaced with a new architecture in 2012, using the manufacturing process that will be introduced in 2011. In passing we note that nVidia continues to name its chips after great physicists, with the next generation cards to be named Kepler and Maxwell. We anticipate the nVidia Pande at some point.
Sources: Official Forum and PC INpact
KaySL
On: 10/21/10
