NVIDIA 'Fermi' (GF100) @ GeForce 400 Series (DirectX 11) - Update 2

Update 2 - A new post has been created with all the scores and screen captures.

Update 1 - We'll be updating this post with specifications and scores as well as screen captures and videos in the following hours so stay tuned! GPU-Z & CPU-Z:

Here are the official specifications for the high-end 480 and the middle-range 470 cards:

Numbers are boring aren't they? A picture speaks a thousand words so we'll throw in something new for you to whet your appetite as well - NVIDIA's OptiX Ray-Tracing technology @ work:

Yes, you can click on it to enjoy the larger XGA (1024 x 768) real-time ray-traced 3D scene

This feature comes on GeForce 400 Series now and not just on Quadro professional workstation video cards. This means now games can start to use it! More to come! Stay tuned here!

Say hello to Fermi, a 3billion-transistor graphics processor

If the title didn't already give it away, then you know what this post is about - that's right. It's NVIDIA's DirectX 11 graphic card - the GeForce 400 Series, based on the GF100 GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), codename Fermi, after Enrico Fermi, the Italian physicist who created the first Nuclear Reactor @ Chicago, the Pile-1.

Is NVIDIA planning to nuke its rival, AMD, for their ATI Radeon DX11 card?

His work led to the development of B Reactor @ Hanford, Washington, the first Plutonium production reactor, for America's Manhattan Project, which resulted in the test of the first Atomic Bomb @ Trinity, New Mexico, America. This led to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki @ Japan, during World War 2. So is NVIDIA planning to 'bomb' its rival, AMD?

Its rival's DX11 card was black and red, NVIDIA is going for black and green, obviously

It's rival was the first to release a DX11 card (via their acquisition of ATI), the Radeon HD5000 Series in 2009, which was supported by Windows 6.1 (Windows 7), and later in Windows 6.0 (Vista) via the Platform Update. So now NVIDIA catches up with the competition. Of course, expect its rival to counter-attack - and they will - with the HD6000 later.

Dual-Linked DVI ports as usual, and HDMI has been dumped for DisplayPort instead. Checkout the quad heat-pipes!

Just like it's rival, you WILL need an 8-pin power connector from your PSU, in addition of the usual 6-pin. However, the good news if your PSU doesn't have 8-pin (not for the processor via the board version), you can also make do with a dual 4-pin Molex adapter which some graphic cards bundle. As for PSU Wattage, a 500W will do - unless you're running a RAID array, etc.

No, it isn't a photo of the ocean - it's a 3D real-time image

Anyway, in order to whet your appetite, here's a shot of what the new card can do with its Tessellation (which NVIDIA claims to be better than its rival due to its scaleable feature which it claims its rival lacks). Until then, enjoy the shots of NVIDIA's flagship desktop hardware!

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TM's UniFi - HSBB via FTTH - Update 2

Update 2 - TM has lowered it's Streamyx 4Mbps to RM130 from RM140 monthly.

Update 1 - Some people are unaware LASER is safe as long you're not viewing it. More below.

That's a lot of acronyms - let's break it down.

For those who don't know, Telekom Malaysia launched yesterday Malaysia's first FTTH (Fibre To The Home) service, called UniFi, which is a form of HSBB (High Speed BroadBand).


This uses LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) via optical cables as opposed to the current wired Internet connection, using DSL via copper telephone wires. Of course there's wireless Internet access but let's skip that as we're talking about wired for now.

This is how data is transmitted inside optical fibre cables - via a LASER bouncing light inside

While only available in 4 selected areas in the Klang Valley at the moment (Bangsar, Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, TTDI - Taman Tun Doctor Ismail), it will soon spread to other parts of the country, depending on the area's development and it's contribution to the country which will make it have a need for Internet access beyond the current broadband service, known as Streamyx, which has a limit of 4Mbps, which uses DSL mentioned earlier.


UniFi starts at 5Mbps, and goes up to 20Mbps for homes, with higher speeds for business. It's priced at RM150 per month for 5Meg, with RM200 for 10Mbps, and RM250 for 20Mbps for homes. This has resulted in the 4Mbps Streamyx to drop from its original price of RM160 to RM140 - UPDATE - NOW DROPPED TO RM130! Of course there are are lower speeds of Streamyx like 2Mbps and 1Mbps and lower.


You'll know when an area has FTTH when you see the LASER warning symbol. Inside these boxes are LASER transmission which will be dangerous to view as it's more powerful that LASER pointers.


HOWEVER - you do NOT have to worry that these boxes (or UniFi cables) are bad for your health as the LASER is INSIDE and NOT outside. In fact, the LASER is terminated OUTSIDE your home and doesn't even ENTER your home - hence the term - Fibre To The Home (FTTH) - NOT Fibre IN The Home. Fibre is used to carry the LASER optical signals from the Telekom Exchange to OUTSIDE homes.

You get more radiation from using your cellular mobile phone next to your brain where powerful radio waves are transmitted, or even from watching TV too much!

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