Nvidia Launches New Affordable GPU 321
mikemuch writes "Today Nvidia unveiled a new low-cost, high-power graphics processor SKU. ExtremeTech's Jason Cross has done all the benchmarking, and concludes ' This makes for an impressive bargain and a huge step up from the generic GeForce 6800. The big question: How will this fare against ATI's similarly priced X1000 series card, the Radeon X1600 XT?'"
Re:Agreed WTF? (Score:2, Funny)
You say you don't need a new video card at all. You say yours works fine. Great. Don't get a new video card.
I don't know how much time you spend playing graphics heavy games (e.g., the new first-person shooters, Battlefield 2, for instance). I spend quite a bit of time with them. Computer gaming is one of my hobbies. Do I _need_ a top of the line graphics card? No. I don't. I bought one because it makes my hobby more enjoyable. I didn't _need_ a les paul guitar, either, just to bash away at it in my basement. Do I play better on it verses a cheaper guitar? Probably not. I have a hell of a lot more fun playing it, though.
People who spend the extra money for something that you don't have a need or desire for aren't necessarily doing it for bragging rights. If you're bragging about your video card, you don't have much else in life to brag about, imo.
Having said all this, I'm not saying that the gaming companies aren't bastards for putting out games that constantly push the envelope as far as hardware requirements. I'd _love_ to not have to upgrade components as often as I do. My main annoyance is that most gaming companies think they can hide the lack of innovative game design, new ideas, and enhancing the "fun-factor" of gaming by making the graphics marginally prettier. They think we won't notice. We do.
FWIW, if I won the lottery this week you wouldn't see me running out to get a new video card, either. You'd see Cadbury, the chauffeur, driving out to pick it up for me and delivering to my new island.
-pete
Re:What's a "SKU"? (Score:2, Funny)