GeForce GTX 280 architecture features
Moreover, each TPC module consists of an array of streaming multiprocessors (SM, Streaming Multiprocessors), and each SM contains eight processor cores, also called stream processors (SP, Streaming Processor), or thread processors (TP, Thread Processor). Each SM also includes texture filtering processors for graphics mode, also used for various filtering operations in compute mode.
Below is a block diagram of the GeForce 280 GTX in traditional graphics mode.
Switching to compute mode, the hardware thread manager (above) manages the TPC threads.
A closer look at the TPC cluster: distributed memory for each SM; Each SM processor core can distribute data among other SM cores through distributed memory, without the need to access an external memory subsystem.
Thus, the NVIDIA unified shader and computer architecture uses two completely different computing models: for TPC operation MIMD (multiple instruction, multiple data) is used, for SM calculations - SIMT (single instruction, multiple thread), an advanced version, SIMD (single instruction, multiple data).
Regarding general characteristics, compared to previous generations of chips, the GeForce GTX 200 family has the following advantages:
Ability to process three times more data streams per unit of time
New design of the command scheduler, with 20% increased texture processing efficiency
512-bit memory interface (384-bit in previous generation)
Optimized z-sampling and compression process to achieve better performance results at high screen sizes
Architectural improvements to improve shadow processing performance
Full-speed frame buffer blending (versus half-speed on the 8800 GTX)
Double the command buffer for improved computational performance
Double the number of registers for faster processing of long and complex shaders
Double precision floating point data according to IEEE 754R version standard
Hardware support for 10-bit color space (DisplayPort only)
This is the list of the main characteristics of the new chips:
NVIDIA PhysX support
Microsoft DirectX 10, Shader Model 4.0 support
Support for NVIDIA CUDA technology
PCI Express 2.0 bus support
GigaThread technology support
NVIDIA Lumenex engine
128-bit floating point (HDR)
OpenGL 2.1 support
Dual-link DVI support
Supports NVIDIA PureVideo HD technology
NVIDIA HybridPower technology support
It is separately noted that DirectX 10.1 is not supported by the GeForce GTX 200 family. The reason given was the fact that when developing chips of a new family, after consultations with partners, it was decided to focus not on supporting DirectX 10.1, which is still in little demand, but on improving the architecture and performance of the chips.
Based on the physics suite, NVIDIA PhysX is a powerful real-time physics engine that is currently supported by over 150 games. Combined with the powerful GPU, the PhysX engine provides a significant increase in physical computing power, especially in such moments as creating explosions with the scattering of dust and fragments, characters with complex facial expressions, new types of weapons with fantastic effects, realistically put on or torn fabrics, fog and smoke with dynamic flow around objects.
Many developers and game developers have long been striving to implement physical effects in games. Every year this direction becomes more relevant. In modern games, the interaction of objects with the environment is carried out using the two engines that have gained the most popularity - Havok and PhysX.
Havok is the oldest engine on which many games for PC and consoles are written. Back in 2006, the then independent ATI demonstrated the acceleration of physical effects using Radeon X1900XT video cards. However, Havok was later bought by Intel, which stated that physical effects would be calculated by this engine using processors.
PhysX was developed by AGEIA, which implemented “physics” with accelerators of its own design. But it so happened that, despite the great popularity of this engine among game developers, the implementation of physical effects in games using specialized accelerators turned out to be very controversial.
And last year, NVIDIA bought AGEIA PhysX. A statement was made that through driver optimization the PhysX engine will be adapted for use with GeForce 8800GT and higher video cards.
Another important innovation is the new power saving modes. Thanks to the use of a precision 65 nm process technology and new circuit solutions, it was possible to achieve more flexible and dynamic control of power consumption. Thus, the consumption of the GeForce GTX 200 family of graphic chips in standby mode or in 2D mode is about 25 W; when playing a Blu-ray DVD movie - about 35 W; under full 3D load, the TDP does not exceed 236 W. The GeForce GTX 200 graphic chip can be completely turned off thanks to the support of HybridPower technology with motherboards on HybridPower nForce chipsets with integrated graphics (for example, nForce 780a or 790i), while the graphics stream of insignificant intensity is simply calculated GPU, integrated into the system board. In addition, GPU The GeForce GTX 200 series also features dedicated power management modules designed to turn off GPU units that are not currently in use.
The user can configure a system based on two or three video cards of the GeForce GTX 200 family in SLI mode when using motherboards based on the corresponding nForce chipsets. In the traditional Standard SLI mode (with two video cards), an approximately 60-90% increase in gaming performance is declared; in 3-way SLI mode – the maximum number of frames per second with maximum separate screen sizes.
As part of the announcement of the new series of GeForce GTX 200 family of graphics processors, NVIDIA offers a completely new look at the role of the central and graphics processors in a modern balanced desktop system. Such an optimized PC, based on the concept of heterogeneous computing (that is, computing a stream of heterogeneous tasks of different types), according to NVIDIA experts, has a much more balanced architecture and significantly greater computing potential. This refers to the combination of a central processor with relatively moderate performance with the most powerful graphics or even an SLI system, which allows you to achieve peak performance in the most demanding games, 3D and media applications.
By the way, intensive computing using modern graphics cards is not new, but with the advent of the GeForce GTX 200 family of graphics processors, NVIDIA expects a significant increase in interest in CUDA technology.
CUDA (Compute Unified Device Architecture) is a computing architecture aimed at solving complex problems in the consumer, business and technical spheres - in any data-intensive applications using NVIDIA GPUs. From the point of view of CUDA technology, the new GeForce GTX 280 graphics chip is nothing more than a powerful multi-core (hundreds of cores!) processor for parallel computing.
As stated above, the graphics core of the GeForce GTX 200 family can be thought of as a chip that supports graphics and computing modes. In one of these modes - “computing”, the same GeForce GTX 280 turns into a programmable multiprocessor with 240 cores and 1 GB of dedicated memory - a kind of dedicated supercomputer with teraflop performance, which significantly increases the efficiency of working with applications that parallelize data well, for example , video encoding, scientific computing, etc.
GPUs of the GeForce 8 and 9 families were the first on the market to support CUDA technology, now they have sold more than 70 million units and interest in the CUDA project is constantly growing. You can learn more about the project and download the files needed to get started here. As an example, the screenshots below show examples of computational performance gains obtained by independent users of CUDA technology.
Compared to the previous leader GeForce 8800 GTX, the new flagship processor GeForce GTX 280 has 1,88 times more processor cores; capable of processing approximately 2,5 more threads per chip; has double the size of file registers and support for double precision floating point calculations; supports 1 GB of memory with a 512-bit interface; equipped with a more efficient command manager and improved communication capabilities between chip elements; improved Z-buffer and compression module, support for 10-bit color palette, etc.
For the first time, the new generation of GeForce GTX 200 chips is initially positioned not only as a powerful 3D graphics accelerator, but also as a serious computer solution for parallel computing.
Characteristics of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280
| Name | GeForce GTX 280 |
| Core | GT200 (D10U-30) |
| Process technology (µm) | 0.065 |
| Transistors (millions) | 1400 |
| Core frequency | 602 |
| Memory operating frequency (DDR) | 1107 |
| Bus and memory type | GDDR3 512-bit |
| Bandwidth (Gb/s) | 141,67 |
| Unified shader units | 240 |
| Unified shader unit frequency | 1296 |
| TMU on conveyor | 80 |
| ROP | 32 |
| Shader Model | 4.0 |
| Fill Rate (Mtex/s) | 48160 |
| DirectX | 10 |
| Interface | PCIe 2.0 |
There was no revolution, the new GT200 graphics processor and the GeForce 280GTX (285GTX, 295GTX) video card tested today are further developments of the unified shader architecture from NVIDIA. The new graphics processor contains more functional units than its predecessors, which gives it the right to be called the most powerful GPU to date.