Nvidia Pascal GPU Boasts Of Higher Bandwith For Better Video Memory
Nvidia announced its next graphics architecture dubbed Pascal back in March 2015. In November, the company revealed that its next generation of graphics cards will boast higher bandwidth memory resulting in improved memory speed for better graphics performance, according to a report in Digital Trends.
Pascal GPUs will make use of second-generation High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) which is similar to what was used in AMD's Fury line of GPUs. According to the report, Pascal GPUs will offer a bigger improvement to AMD's Fury GPUs, in that its cards in the Pascal line-up will be equipped with as much as 16 GB of the second generation HBM (HBM2). AMD Fury GPUs were not able to offer this high number of gigabytes.
During Nvidia's GTC technology conference in November, the tech company shared that the HBM2 "will give bandwidth in excess of a terabyte per second, more than double what AMD's Fury X cards currently offer." A report in ExtremeTech details the technical specs of the HBM2.
The number of gigabytes available for the new line will likely fetch a premium price as well. The report however suggests that most gamers may still go for the new GPUs because of the significant upgrade they will be getting. Most of them have been used to getting only 2 GB.
Nvidia also revealed during the conference that they are targeting a total of 1 TB/s total bandwidth, which is double of what Fury X can offer. In addition to this, the new 14/16nm process technology will bring "a 2x performance per watt improvement."
The company has not yet announced when this new line of GPUs will hit the market, but it is expected to be released within the first half of 2016. Its main competitor, AMD, is also working on its next line of GPUs which may be released during the same time.
