Galaxy Designs GeForce GTX 480 with Dedicated PhysX GPU

[PraxxtorCruel]

While every NVIDIA GPU since GeForce 8 series, with over 256 MB of memory supports the CUDA GPU compute technology, and with it PhysX GPU acceleration, the prospect of dedicated GPUs for computing PhysX interests many, especially enthusiasts, after NVIDIA stopped production of the PhysX processor from erstwhile Ageia. EVGA first devised a graphics card that has a high-end GPU processing graphics, and a mainstream GPU dedicated to PhysX processing, with its GeForce GTX 275 Co-op. Building on the same principle, Galaxy designed an enthusiast-grade graphics card that uses an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 for DirectX 11 compliant graphics processing, while its sidekick on board is a 40 nm GeForce GT 240 GPU.

The GeForce GTX 480 sticks to specifications, complete with 1536 MB of GDDR5 memory across a 384-bit wide, while the GT 240 has its own 512 MB of GDDR5 memory across a 128-bit wide interface. Both GPUs share the system bus over an NVIDIA nForce 200 bridge chip, which gives both GPUs a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 link. The GTX 480 GPU packs 480 CUDA cores, and features the latest GPU technologies, including 3D Vision surround. Since it is independent from the GT 240, the GTX 480 can pair with three more of its kind for 4-way SLI, without affecting the functionality of the GT 240 in any way.

The GT 240 packs 96 CUDA cores, and is DirectCompute 4.1 compliant. It has enough compute power for offloading PhysX processing from the main GPU. Since the GT 240 in its standalone card form is very energy efficient by not requiring auxiliary power, its presence didn't affect the electricals of this card in any big way. The GTX 480 component seems to be powered by a 6+2 phase digital PWM circuit, while the GT 240 uses a simpler 2+1 phase PWM circuit. Power inputs remain 8-pin and 6-pin. More details as they emerge.

 

[stulid]

wonder if they will call it GTX480 CO-OP PhysX Edition?

 

[HW91]

overclocking is going to suck on that, as will power usage

 

[Sukh]

They want to create MORE heat?

 

[stulid]

the silly thing is- i am almost mad enough to buy something like this!

 

[RavenXXX2]

Buy a 480 and one of these http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-030-ZT&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1576 and will still most likely be cheaper than a combined card, you can also chuck it out your case when you come to conclusion that physx is just not worth it.

 

[stulid]

i bought a 8800GT 512mb on the MM last week, to do Physx, working along side my GTX260.

 

[Monkeynut]

Isn't doing something like this basically for one of two reasons:

1. Because Fermi is not as awesome at GPGPU as claimed, or:
2. They had a lot of GT240 cores that weren't selling.

 

[KillBoY_UK]

I give points to Galaxy for there crazy designs as of late first the Dual GTX 470 and now this didn't think they had had the R&D to do this sorta thing

 

[Monkeynut]

I give points to Galaxy for there crazy designs as of late first the Dual GTX 470 and now this didn't think they had had the R&D to do this sorta thing

They also showed off a single-slot GTX470.

 

[KillBoY_UK]

They also showed off a single-slot GTX470.

that too ! talk about balls to the wind tech

 

[Smudge]

Makes me think.... I have a 8800GT & an 8800GTX sitting in my draw doing nothing, should I bother sticking one in my PC along side my 5850, just because I can? I'm not jumping on every new PC title that comes out and not really sure of how widespread physx support is etc.

Matt.

 

[Temi_D]

Does this affect SLi?

 

[tommybhoy]

should I bother sticking one in my PC along side my 5850, just because I can?
Matt.

Have you seen the mafia 2 vids?

 

[Tute]

I actually think this is pretty cool.

 

[sturmtruppe]

My only gripe with this is the fact that the memory isnt shared. Would be more viable just to stick 2gb of gddr5 on there i think.

 

[p0rks0da]

My only gripe with this is the fact that the memory isnt shared. Would be more viable just to stick 2gb of gddr5 on there i think.

The memory is not shared on any dual-gpu card, including the 5970.

 

[Monkeynut]

I actually think this is pretty cool.

With a GTX480 and GT240 on the same card I see it being quite the opposite.

 

[drunkenmaster]

Have you seen the mafia 2 vids?

I haven't seen the vids because I hate seeing things you would otherwise come across and think awesome when playing the game, but its a console and pc release, the massive majority of effects will be doable on consoles, meaning its physx software, not hardware, for the majority as is generally the case.

Happy to be proven wrong but will be a change to see game changing physx's that make the game better, it will likely be a few of the effects are addon's and barely effect anything if they are even good, if the game performance doesn't suck horribly with them enabled.


EIther way, did they not learn, how well did the 275gtx + hmmm, 250gts, or 240gt sell exactly? Like crap, pointless card no one wanted, so lets make another one.

DO despite the fact they are saying physx should run so much faster on Fermi because of its massive gpgpu power increase over previous gen's, they think theres a decent increase running physx on a 240gt instead of on one Fermi shader cluster. Laughable, louder, and hotter Fermi card.

 

[AMG]

Omg, what is the point?

i guess it won't generate much heat ;p