NVIDIA introduces new GPUs, motherboard as part of 'fastest GeForce platforms ever'

nvidia If you’ve got $600 burning a hole in your pocket, maybe head on down to your nearby electronics superstore and throw down for the NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GX2.

It’s got 256 processing cores on a single board and it’s “up to 60% faster than the closest competitor,” according to NVIDIA. It can be paired up with another 9800 GX2 in Quad SLI mode for Vista, just in case you’ve got another $600 burning a whole in your opposite pocket.

NVIDIA also announced the GeForce 9800 GTX with 128 processor cores for $299-$349 and the 9600 GT, a “budget” 9600-series GPU for $199.

And what would the fastest GeForce platforms be without a new motherboard to harness all the gooey-melty speed? Enter the NVIDIA nForce 790i Ultra SLI MCP, “the industry’s most overclockable platform for Intel processors.”

Designed for current and next-generation Intel CPUs, including those that support a 1600MHz frontside bus (FSB), the nForce 790i Ultra SLI MCP supports high-performance DDR3 memory, PCI Express Gen 2.0, and the new Enthusiast System Architecture (ESA) communications protocol for the real-time monitoring and control of PC components. Already deemed “one of the fastest gaming platforms ever tested,” the nForce 790i Ultra SLI MCP is also certified to run 2-Way, 3-Way, and Quad SLI GPU configurations. nForce 790i Ultra SLI MCP-based motherboards are available now with a MSRP of $300+ USD.

The entire press release is as follows;

NVIDIA Introduces Fastest GeForce Platforms Ever – Optimized for Gaming PCs

New GeForce 9-Series GPUs, NVIDIA nForce 790i-Series MCPs, and NVIDIA SLI Multi-GPU Technology Reinvigorate the PC Market with Best Performance, Power, and Price

SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA) continues to address the global demand for better visual experiences on the PC with the recent market introduction of a series of new powerful graphics processing units (GPUs) and media and communications processors (MCPs) that unleash consumers’ creativity and self-expression. The new NVIDIA GeForce(R) and NVIDIA nForce(R) products, including the new GeForce(R) 9800 GX2, GeForce 9800 GTX, GeForce 9600 GT GPUs, along with the nForce 790i Ultra SLI(R) media and communications processor (MCP), enable consumers to optimize their PCs for drastically improved performance with the latest operating systems, photo applications, mapping software, games, and HD movies. Considered one of, if not the most important processors inside the PC, the NVIDIA GPU, in combination with an NVIDIA MCP, provides consumers with untold choices for building completely flexible, scalable, and high-definition entertainment platforms, driving visual computing capabilities to new heights.

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With the recent launch of the GeForce 9800 GX2 GPU, NVIDIA has once again engineered the world’s fastest graphics solution, designed for running today’s graphically-intensive games, 3D applications, and HD movies at extreme resolutions. With more than 256 processing cores on a single board, the GeForce 9800 GX2 GPU is up to 60 percent faster than the closest competitor, and is available today with a suggested retail MSRP of $599.00 USD. By pairing two GeForce 9800 GX2 GPU-based add-in cards with NVIDIA SLI technology users can take advantage of NVIDIA Quad SLI technology for Windows Vista and experience unprecedented performance with the highest detail and resolutions possible in today’s most demanding games and applications.

“It’s becoming obvious that the GPU is the main purchasing decision that our customers are making when purchasing a new PC. As a result, for some time now NVIDIA GPUs and MCPs have been the engines driving our flagship PCs,” said Kelt Reeves, president and CEO of Falcon Northwest. “With the new GeForce 9800GX2, the introduction of Quad SLI for Vista, and the nForce 790i platform to run them on, NVIDIA has once again provided us with some serious new armament in the fight for smoother frame rates.”

In addition to the GeForce 9800 GX2 GPU, NVIDIA recently introduced the GeForce 9800 GTX GPU which features 128 processor cores and provides consumers with the best bang for the buck in the $299-349 price range. The GeForce 9800 GTX GPU supports both 2-Way and 3-Way SLI technology, delivering the industry’s most flexible and scalable multi-GPU solution. And with the GeForce 9600 GT GPU, immersive gaming with incredible graphics is now within the reach and budget of PC gamers for less than $199 USD.

The ultimate foundation for all NVIDIA GeForce 9 Series GPUs is a new motherboard based on the new NVIDIA nForce 790i Ultra SLI MCP, which is the industry’s most overclockable platform for Intel processors. Designed for current and next-generation Intel CPUs, including those that support a 1600MHz frontside bus (FSB), the nForce 790i Ultra SLI MCP supports high-performance DDR3 memory, PCI Express Gen 2.0, and the new Enthusiast System Architecture (ESA) communications protocol for the real-time monitoring and control of PC components. Already deemed “one of the fastest gaming platforms ever tested,” the nForce 790i Ultra SLI MCP is also certified to run 2-Way, 3-Way, and Quad SLI GPU configurations. nForce 790i Ultra SLI MCP-based motherboards are available now with a MSRP of $300+ USD.

“Since the start of the year, we have been committed to introducing products that not only set the bar for performance and scalability, but also deliver the ultimate visual computing experience,” said Ujesh Desai, general manager of GeForce desktop GPU business at NVIDIA. “Consumers buying a new PC or those who want to build one from scratch know that the key to the best visual computing experience starts with the GPU. With our new products and the support of our partners worldwide, 2008 marks the beginning of the visual computing revolution and solidifies the GPU’s position as the most important processor inside the PC.”

NVIDIA GeForce 9 Series GPUs are available now from global leading add-in card partners including: Albatron, ASUS, BFG, ECS, EVGA, Gainward, Galaxy, Gigabyte, Innovision, Leadtek, MSI, Sparkle, Palit, PC Partner/Zotac, PNY, Point of View, XFX, and Zogis.

Motherboards featuring the NVIDIA nForce 790i Series MCPs are available now from global leading motherboard manufacturers including: ASUS, DFI, EVGA, Foxconn, Gigabyte, MSI, PC Partner, and XFX.