http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/ Engadget Comments for NVIDIA GeForce GT 340 highlights introduction of 300-series cards, none are powerful enough to matter http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 5:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/
The name. Nothing else. Just like a 8800GT will blow a 9400GT off the ground. Its just the name.]]>Feb 24th 2010 5:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Totally different. A 9400 is more powerful than a 8400 but obviously not a 9800 since NVIDIA has in the past used for x400 fo low end, x600 midrange and x800 for high end.

This is a comparison of a 340 vs a 240, so they should be in the same range but the 3 denotes a new generation when it obviously isn't.]]>Feb 24th 2010 5:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 7:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 7:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/
It would be relevant to an advanced user but to a standard person who doesnt do a full research, the model number 9400 would obviously seem superior than 8800. That would lead to him buying the low end card]]>Feb 24th 2010 8:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/
It's all a rather lame and pathetic marketing ploy to buy some time until nVidia can actually get their Fermi stuff on the market. Hope those cards are stellar performers, because they will need something major to pull their reputation out of the cesspool they are creating with marketing tactics like these.]]>Feb 24th 2010 8:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/
Nvidia is notorious for renaming cards. 9800 GTX was renamed as the GTS 250.... long before that, the Geforce 4MX line were essentially renamed Geforce2 parts.

The only "new" parts that we know of are the 470 and 480, which have been delayed some 5 months and have had serious yield problems.]]>Feb 24th 2010 10:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 5:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 5:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 5:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card//not a fanboy]]>Feb 24th 2010 5:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 5:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 5:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/It's not even faster than your 260. Only the 260, 275, 280 and 295 are based on their newest 2008 GT200 architecture. Everything else including the "new" 3 series is rehashed G92.]]>Feb 24th 2010 7:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 10:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/
I have long time preferred nVidia's offerings, but it's crap like this that could get someone to defect to ATi.]]>Feb 24th 2010 5:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Nvidia have been doing this shit for years. the Geforce 9 series was as near as damnit the same as the Geforce 8.
and the GTS2** cards were ripped from the 9 series.

Nvidia recycling the same old crap time after time again.
Only this time they cant rely on it being the best they are recycling, Now they are recycling cards no one wanted in the first place.

I dont get it.]]>Feb 24th 2010 6:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/
I upgraded from an 8800 GTX (that I bought at launch nearly 2 1/2 years ago) to a radeon 5850 a couple weeks ago. Couldn't be happier.

Give ATI a chance- driver woes seem to be nonexistent on my Win7 x64 system. Hell, even their proprietary linux drivers are stable.]]>Feb 24th 2010 10:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 6:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/
Many people on the interwebs predicted that this would happen, and sure enough... Hiding these under OEM distribution is just a way of trying to avoid the shame of market these in the retail channel.

Nvidia better pull a rabbit out of their asses March 26, including aggressive pricing, or else they're going to lose a big(ger) part of their customer base.]]>Feb 24th 2010 11:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 7:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Comment system ate my example. I said *series* *rank* *edition*]]>Feb 24th 2010 8:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 8:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/
I've been looking to possibly upgrade my card but don't need anything too hardcore, or wanting to spend a lot, but I can't for the life of me figure out what's what with graphics cards! I've googled it & pretty much the results I get back just end up linking me to retailers or crap "reviews."

I'd like some basic knowledge in understanding what's what when it comes to the specs & guts of graphics cards so I can better decide what I'd like to get!?

Anyone have any suggestions of sites that would be helpful!?!?

Thanks!
]]>Feb 24th 2010 9:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-gaming-graphics-card,2544.html
Everything you want to know is right there, enjoy your reading...:)]]>Feb 24th 2010 9:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/
You really want to check out some of the Anandtech articles. They go into great detail on the actual structure of the GPU's, and what the structural differences mean in the real world. Well worth reading.

That being said, the best summary I can provide is that all of nVidia's current designs are simply iterations of the G92 core they put in the 8800GT a few years ago. ATI in the meantime seems to be doing some actual changes in their architecture between generations, either adding computational units or reworking how each unit works to make it more efficient.]]>Feb 24th 2010 9:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/
Thank you both for the quick reply! Gonna look both of them over right now!
So, it seems to me that ATI has been stepping it up while nVidia's been resting on their laurels for a bit now..

How big a deal is Directx 11? Is it really just gonna be a big deal for a handful of the PC games coming out & not a big deal / major player for a while? ]]>Feb 24th 2010 9:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/DirectX 11 is about as exciting as DirectX 10 was.

Only a handful of games are coded to support DirectX 10/11. Shattered Horizon comes to mind.

If you purchase a good mid-to-high range card, your DirectX 9 games should run just fine. Of course, if your CPU becomes the bottleneck (GTA IV PC, etc.), then it's time to upgrade that, too.]]>Feb 24th 2010 12:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 10:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/...Which is the same as the 9600 GSO.]]>Feb 24th 2010 10:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/...Which is essentially an 8800 GS.]]>Feb 24th 2010 10:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Not quite -- the GT 240 has a 69 W TDP, vs. 105 W on the 8800 GS and 9600 GSO, so it's more power efficient. It actually only consumes 9 W (it's engraved in 40 nm), which is extremely low, and it doesn't require a 6 pin power connection. My Zotac Zone edition is passively cooled (no fan). It an ideal card for an HTPC.

Also, it supports Direct X 10.1, and "PureVideo engine has been improved and now supports DivX (and any format based on MPEG-4 - Advanced - Simple Profile) and an HD Audio controller was added to the maps, which lets take over the sound through the HDMI output so simple."

I will say that I see no difference whatsoever between the GT 240 and GT 340.]]>Feb 24th 2010 12:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Woodscrews]]>Feb 24th 2010 11:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/I drink their delicious tears.]]>Feb 24th 2010 12:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 12:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/How is this not a blatant rebranding of the GT 240? According to the specs on nVidia's website, they're EXACTLY the same cards.]]>Feb 24th 2010 2:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 1:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/Feb 24th 2010 5:26PM