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Originally published at Internet.comJust days after adding a new high-end flagship model to its lineup of graphics processors, nVidia today went the opposite direction - with a new faster, low-cost entry-level product.
Cards with today's new nVidia GeForce 7200 GS graphics processor should carry retail prices of under $50, nVidia said - a sharp contrast with the super-high-end GeForce 8800 Ultra that the company released earlier this month. Cards based on that processor are expected to be priced at $829 and above.
Fortunately for budget buyers, the GeForce 7200 GS is aimed at beefing up nVidia's low-end segment. While it doesn't offer DirectX 10 support of its more expensive GeForce 8-Series siblings, it does provide support for DirectX 9 Shader Model 3.0, high dynamic-range lighting, and nVidia's own PureVideo technology for improved video playback.
The card is targeted at PC owners who are moving up to Microsoft Windows Vista, some editions of which require significant graphics performance. nVidia said the GeForce 7200 GS offers better 3D performance than common integrated graphics solutions.
"Windows Vista, which benefits greatly from additional 3D performance, is gaining market share and mainstream applications such as Microsoft Maps, Picasa from Google and iTunes are also starting to take advantage of 3D graphics," said Ujesh Desai, general manager of desktop GPUs at nVidia. "By making a small investment in graphics performance, customers buying Vista PCs can go from an underwhelming experience to one that delivers exceptional performance and features."
nVidia said a number of graphics card manufacturers are offering models based on the 7200 GS, including Albatron, ASUS, Biostar, Elitegroup, EVGA, Foxconn, Gigabyte, MSI, PNY and XFX.
Author: Christopher Saunders
Read article at Internet.com site