Will the real next-generation Nvidia graphics card architecture please stand up? Like, seriously.
Right now there are three, count them, three competing codenames trying to be Nvidia’s next family of GPUs between Ampere, Volta and Turing. Right now, though we’re putting our money on Turing being the next line of consumer-grade graphics cards to replace the current Pascal-based GeForce GTX 10 series GPUs.
In keeping with previous generational leaps – such as Maxwell to Pascal – we’re expecting the Nvidia GeForce GTX 11 series graphics cards to push efficiency, and possibly PC gaming as a whole into the realm of true 4K, 60-frames-per-second gaming powered by a single GPU.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? Nvidia’s next generation graphics cards for gamers
- When is it out? Rumored for July 2018
- What will it cost? Hopefully not much more than Pascal
Nvidia Turing release date
Based on the latest reports from Tom’s Hardware, which cited ‘multiple independent sources’ in the industry, we won’t see Nvidia’s next-generation graphics card release until July or later this year. Word on the Internet streets suggests that mass production of new GeForce cards won’t begin until mid-June, so an earlier launch date seems unlikely.
If these rumors are true, the closest and biggest venue for Nvidia to make its big announcement would be Gamescom in August. That said, we haven’t heard any more corroborating reports to suggest Tom’s Hardware’s information is correct.
Earlier reports from Tweaktown and Reuters suggested a Nvidia Turing announcement at the Game Developer’s Conference or the company’s own GPU Technology Conference (GTC) 2018. Following that, cards were expected to be available as soon as April or May.
Although timing would make sense, given that Nvidia originally launched the current line of Pascal graphics cards in May 2016, with few to no sources cited in either of the earlier stories, we’re more inclined to buy the newer report from Tom’s Hardware.
Nvidia Turing price
Given the current state of GPU prices in a cryptocurrency-crazed world, we can’t but help to predict higher prices for graphics cards in the near future. Especially given that the Pascal graphics cards came at a slightly higher premium over the last-generation Maxwell cards they replaced.
With that all in mind, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the price of Turing GPUs take a slight uptick over these following Founders Cards that are currently available:
- Nvidia Titan Xp – $1,199 (£1,099, AU$1,950)
- Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti – $699 (£679, AU$1099)
- Nvdia GTX 1080 – $599 (£600, AU$925)
- Nvidia TX 1070 Ti – $449 (£419, AU$759)
- Nvidia GTX 1070 – $379 (£379, AU$699)
- Nvidia GTX 1060 – $199 (£279, AU$429)
Nvidia Turing specs
Given that the firm has already introduced its new 12-nanometer manufacturing process with Nvidia Volta, we fully expect that it will trickle down to the company’s likely consumer-facing Turing GPU line. Beyond that, though, there aren’t too many confirmed details or conclusions we can make about the specs surrounding Nvidia’s next line of graphics cards.
For one thing, reports are still debating whether the successor to the Nvidia GTX 1080 will be given a GTX 1180 or GTX 2080 model naming convention. Then there’s the question of whether Turing will employ GDDR6 video memory or HBM2, as seen on the Nvidia Titan V.
For now, we’ll have to sit and wait for more concrete leaks and rumors before we can begin to even speculate as to how well-equipped Nvidia Turing graphics cards will be.
Whatever the case, we fully expect Nvidia to deliver with new GPU technology that pushes the envelope for PC gaming as it always has.