NVIDIA Corporation (Nvidia) recently (on May 6th, 2016) announced the new GeForce GTX 1080 gaming GPU, the first from the company to be based on the its new Pascal architecture. It is part of the GeForce 100 series that was first launched in January 2009, and the GTX 1080 is the clear successor to the GTX TITAN X, considering the 1080 is 2x more powerful than the TITAN X.
The Pascal architecture is said to offer huge leaps over the previous Maxwell architecture, in terms of performance, memory bandwidth, and power efficiency. Not only that , GTX 1080 also brings new features and technologies to improve the experience when playing AAA game titles or when diving into virtual reality (VR). Here are five technologies that Nvidia have incorporated into Pascal:
- New GPU architecture. GTX 1080 is 3x more power-efficient than the Maxwell architecture, due to Pascal’s optimized performance-per-watt.
- 16 nm FinFET process. GTX 1080 is said to be the first gaming-centric GPU designed for the 16 nm FinFET process, with smaller and faster transistors — all 7.2 billion of them — to deliver an increase in power efficiency and performance.
- Memory. Apparently, Pascal-based GPUs like the GTX 1080 are the first to have 8 GB of Micron’s GDDR5X memory. It has 1.7x higher effective memory bandwidth than regular GDDR5, thanks to the 256-bit memory interface that runs at 10 Gbs.
- Craftsmanship. With the increase in efficiency and performance, GTX 1080 could run over 1700 MHz, while consuming only 180 watts of juice; a feat said to not be possible before. The new “asynchronous compute advances” could improve efficiency and performing in gaming too, not to mention the also-new GPU Boost 3 technology that supports advanced overclocking.
- Gaming technology. GTX 1080 is complemented by software-side technologies like Nvidia VRWorks that allows developers to create immersive gaming environments, and Nvidia Ansel, which lets gamers explore and share gaming experiences in new ways.
VRWorks
VRWorks is a software development kit (SDK) for developers to create never-before-experienced VR presence, combining what the users see, hear, and touch, with the physical space, to convince them that the virtual is real. Here are three of the features:
- 2x VR graphics performance. VRWorks Graphics now renders polygons for each eye simultaneously in a single pass, and renders to the unique dimensions of VR displays instead of the traditional 2D monitors, with the help of its simultaneous multi-projection capability.
- Spatial audio. VRWorks Audio adopts Nvidia’s OptiX ray-tracing engine, that tracks the path of sounds across a VR environment in real-time, fully replicating the enveloping spatial sound of objects according to their sizes, shapes, and materials.
- Interactive touch and physics. Nvidia’s PhyX for VR can detect when a controller or gamepad in hand interacts with the virtual space, and in effect enables the VR engine to deliver accurate visual and haptic feedback to the user. It is supposed to model the exact, physical behavior, like an explosion or a hand splashing on water.
These technologies are shown off by Nvidia in its VR Funhouse game, available soon.
Ansel
Click to view slideshow.On the gamers’ side, Nvidia Ansel was announced to allow gamers to capture, explore, and share their gaming experiences. With it, they could compose gameplay shots that they want, since VR allows pointing the camera in any direction within a gaming world. Screenshots can be captured up to 32x the screen resolution, which then the viewers can zoom in where they so choose without losing the fidelity and resolution.
There is also a photo-filter feature for gamers to add effects in real-time before sharing, and the captured 360-degree stereo “photo spheres” can be experienced by viewers using Google Cardboard or any third-party VR headset.
Ansel is compatible with GTX 600 and up, and will be available in upcoming releases and updates of games like The Division, The Witness, Lawbreakers, The Witcher 3, Paragon, No Man’s Sky, Obduction, Fortnite, and Unreal Tournament.
Wrap-up
GTX 1080 “Founders Edition” was on sale since May 27th for US$699 (~RM2,900.05), available from ASUS, Colorful, EVGA, Gainward, Galaxy, Gigabyte, Innovision 3D, MSI, Nvidia, Palit, PNY, and Zotac. Custom boards varies by region and are sold by partners for less than that, at US$599 (~RM2,485.28).
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 will also come, fully-configured in systems from US-based companies including AVADirect, Cyberpower, Digital Storm, Falcon Northwest, Geekbox, IBUYPOWER, Maingear, Origin PC, Puget Systems, V3 Gaming, and Velocity Micro, not to mention other system integrators outside of the US.
Meanwhile, there is another “lower-end” variant named GTX 1070 “Founders Edition” which will only be available from June 10th onwards for US$499 (~RM2,070.28). Custom boards by partners goes a little lower, from US$379 (~RM1,572.49).
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