Nvidia has unveiled its long-awaited Fermi-based GTX graphics card lineup at the PAX East gaming festival in Boston, Massachusetts.
We managed to catch up with Nvidia spokesperson Bryan Del Rizzo at the packed show to talk about how the GTX 470 and 480 will help redefine both the current and next-generation of PC gaming.
“One of the biggest advantages the GTX 470/480 brings to the gaming world is advanced support for DX11 in the form of scalable tessellation and direct compute. This allows the GPU to render extremely detailed models, scenes and effects,” explained Del Rizzo.
“Clearly, the higher graphics horsepower offered by Fermi will encourage developers to add more realistic scenes to games. This is really key, because gamers always want the environment on the screen to be as real as possible. And our scalable tessellation offers developers the freedom and opportunity to design interactive virtual worlds on a truly grand scale.”
According to Del Rizzo, Fermi is a major component of Nvidia’s strategy to “cement” the PC as the preferred choice for serious gamers.
“The PC – unlike the current generation of static consoles – is constantly evolving in terms of graphics capabilities. We believe the GTX 480 will really make the PC shine as the gaming platform of choice for years to come.
“For example, Fermi architecture allows users to practice real time ray tracing by customizing ultra photo-realistic images of various sports vehicles with a free app known as Design Garage – which we are shipping with every GTX 470/480.
“Really, if our GPU is capable of doing this today, wouldn’t it be cool to eventually import those cars into another medium, such as a game or advanced social media environment? I personally think the possibilities are endless and just limited by the imagination.”
Del Rizzo added that the GTX 480 would also help propel 3D gaming forward by allowing 3D-enabled titles to be rendered across three monitors, while maintaining an acceptable frame rate.
“Nvidia’s 3D Vision currently supports over 450 games. The number keeps climbing as developers advance the technology and move forward with it by optimizing various titles with enhanced 3D environments and textures. The games look amazing in 3D – even on a single screen – and offer a much better experience than your typical 2D title would.
“Now, the GTX 480-powered 3D Vision Surround is even more stunning, as it creates a completely immersive perspective for gamers. And being able to do this across three panels is really a testament to Fermi’s advanced architecture. Remember, each frame has to be rendered 6 times, one for each eye on every screen. The GTX 480 has the horsepower to do this all in real-time while still maintaining a very respectable frame rate.
“So, I think that is what sets us apart from the competition: we leverage advanced technology (PhysX, 3D, ray tracing and CUDA) with developers to radically change the way games are experienced – both now and in the future.”
