NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 Specifications Unveiled

Although we can't disclose all of the details regarding NVIDIA's upcoming dual-GPU powered GeForce GTX 295 just yet, we do have some juicy information regarding the card and its proposed specifications that we can share with you today.

We all knew that NVIDIA wasn't sitting idle since the initial release of AMD's popular ATI Radeon HD 4800 series of products. As today's information will show, it turns out NVIDIA was not only hard at work on a 55nm version of their GT200 GPU, but they have also designed a dual-GPU beast built around two of them.  There is a bit more to the story though, as the specification will reveal. 

As you can see, the GPU used on the GeForce GTX 295 is built using a 55nm manufacturing process and the reference specifications call for 576MHz core, 1.24GHz shader, and 2GHz (1GHz DDR) memory clock frequencies.  What's more interesting is that each GPU on the GeForce GTX 295 is outfitted with 240 stream processor cores--for a total of 480--but the memory interface is 448-bits per GPU and it's got 28 ROP units, not 512-bits and 32 ROP units like the current GeForce GTX 280.  The specifications reveal that the GPU used on the GeForce GTX 295 will be sort of a die-shrunk hybrid of the current GeForce GTX 260 and GTX 280.  Max board power is rated for 289 watts, which is right on par with the Radeon HD 4870 X2 and, as such, the GTX 295 requires both 6-pin and 8-pin supplemental PCI Express power connectors.

    
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295

The card itself is reminiscent of the dual-GPU powered GeForce 9800 GX2.  There is a perforated shroud that surrounds the entire PCB, with an air inlet at one end near the barrel type fan.  The fan pulls air into the interior of the card, where it is blown across heatsinks and then ultimately expelled from the system through vents in the card's case bracket.  Outputs on the GeForce GTX 295 consist of a pair of dual-link DVI outputs and an HDMI output, but the pictures also reveal a couple of diagnostic LEDs.  One of the LEDs indicates whether or not the board is receiving sufficient power and the other shows whether or not a monitor is properly connected and being detected.

Just in case you're wondering, yes, two of these cards can be run in tandem in a Quad-SLI configuration. And we should also note that a single card can even be configured to run with one of its GPUs dedicated to PhysX calculations while the other handles graphics.  We're hoping to have cards in-house very soon and will be able to disclose more information in the not too distant future.  For now, you'll just have to be content with some specifications and pictures.  Performance, pricing, and technical details will be coming a bit later.

oooooohhhhh, that looks pretty sweet. i can't wait to see the performance compared to the 4870 x2.

it looks like a friggin beast, though. is it longer than the gtx 280?

Is it safe to assume that those specs are final? Given the TDP this unit will likely have I can understand the clock speeds on the GPU, but not using GTX200 processors without their full punch. This doesn't make much sense when you're going for the speed crown. It'll be interesting to see what reasons are given for them going this way (if any!).

Yes, those specs are final.  NVIDIA likely chose this route for reasons related to power and complexity.  With the full 512-bit memory interface routing traced on the boards would be more difficult, there would also be more memory chips and another partition enabled in the GPU, which would push power consumption--and heat--even higher.

Looks like a solid GPU..

 Hi All

Looks like Nvidia is out for blood with this card. Can't wait to see the review. However, as I've been banned from the Egg & "all sites like Newegg" for a year actually 11 months now , I'll have to be content with just drooling over them.

Looks like a Good Graphics card. I wonder how it'll stack up to the ATI Radeon HD4800 series.

That thing is looks serious. Need to read up on it. Been to busy.

i think i can kill someone with that card

I wonder if this card cut in half will be an eventual GTX 270.  The specs are inbetween the 260 and 280, after all.

Looks like we have the new top performance single PCI-e card.  The GTX 280 might beat it in certain un-SLI optimized games, but by far we are looking at the fastest card ever.

Haha, now THAT's exciting. I was waiting to see how NVIDIA answers ATI's HD 4800 X2s. The only thing that bothers me though is why GDDR3 when ATI is on 5 right now, and it seems to be working great for ATI?

Power Connectors: 1= 6pin + 1= 8pin = Serious Wattage!

Switching to GDDR5 would require a new memory controller. And since the GT200 GPU already has support for up to a 512-bit interface, GDDR3 at the speeds NVIDIA is projecting is going to offer more bandwidth than the 4870 X2.

 More bandwith more room for higher benchmark! :)