NVIDIA out with two brand-new Quadro FX cards

Both don't support DirectX 11 yet

FX 2800M

FX 3800M

It’s been long we heard something from the graphics card giant, and I almost started to believe they have given a pause to the graphics segment to concentrate more on the ION platform. I have a reason to believe that as the last graphics card product NVIDIA released was back in April. But then NVIDIA proved everyone wrong by releasing two new mobile workstation graphics card. Don’t expect them to be revolutionary, the Quadro FX 2800M and 3800M are more like filling the gaps.

Quadro FX 2800M

The Quadro FX 2800 is built on CUDA architecture, featuring 30-bit colour accuracy. This card is optimum for the 17” mobile workstations. This card also promises to maximise on Adobe CS4 software performances to give these high-performance demanding software a platform to run smoothly. NVIDIA PowerMizer 9.0 helps power management better. This 96 CUDA core card comes with 1GB dedicated graphics memory, 3D vision, support for DirectX 10.1, and 256-bit memory interface. The memory it’ll consume is about 75W, which is much from the point of view of a notebook – but looking at the performance standard it puts, this much energy consumption can be accepted.

Quadro FX 3800M

 The more powerful 128 CUDA core card also features 30-bit colour accuracy, 1GB dedicated graphics memory, 256-bit memory interface, 3D vision and support for DirectX 10.1. Being more powerful, the FX 3800M will consume more power at 100W, but the PowerMizer should make it somewhat manageable.

The feature which most users will miss in both these cards is the support for DirectX 11. In fact it is not before late next year when we will see DirectX 11 support in both NVIDIA and ATI. ATI is reportedly planning a series of mobile GPUs shortly, nine separate mobile parts including three GPUs with three variants each. The family is called Manhattan; the chips are Broadway, Madison, and Park. These all will support DirectX 11. No such confirmation from NVIDIA’s end yet.    

Check out our exhaustive GPU comparison guide and mobile graphics card benchmarks.