Virtual reality is already a fact, as is 4K resolution. It will take time for these elements to become more economical, but the leading hardware players have started to make their moves. On Nvidia's side, the official presentation of its new GeForce GTX 1080 has arrived, a graphics card that promises to double the performance of the GeForce Titan X in virtual environments, at 60 percent of the cost.
With each new graphics card that hits the market, we always get the feeling that pushing performance any higher will be impossible, but then a new generation is "born" and proves we were wrong. Today, manufacturers can place billions of transistors on their chips and install memory amounts that easily surpass the RAM available in many computers. Yet there are new milestones to cross and new challenges to face. 4K resolution is taking its time in the streaming world, but video games move at a different pace, and the idea of multiplying 1080p by four is no longer so far-fetched. At the same time, virtual reality headsets demand cutting-edge hardware with full support for the latest features and optimizations. Earlier this year we learned that AMD was working on a new architecture, but it is Nvidia that arrives first with its new Pascal family and the impressive GeForce GTX 1080.
Being the first card fabricated on the Pascal architecture also means Nvidia managed to "lower" its manufacturing process to 16 nanometers, although the final transistor count sits at 7.2 billion, a number similar to that of the original GTX Titan. The RAM amounts to 8 GB under Micron's new GDDR5X technology, and its boost clock reaches 1733 MHz, but with Pascal's help, overclocking could surpass 2 GHz. In general terms, the GeForce GTX 1080 will be between 20 and 25 percent faster than a Titan X, and in virtual reality environments, Nvidia insists that the new card will have double the performance. Those seeking a more concrete example of the GTX 1080's capability can see it in action with Doom:
That particular demo was created at 1080p resolution with Ultra settings, to which we must add the Vulkan API. During the first minute, the game runs with an "FPS Lock" that keeps it at 60 frames per second, but once unlocked, there are sections where we see spikes of 200 FPS.
The GeForce GTX 1080 will arrive through two channels: Nvidia's official partners will sell it at a price of $599, while the "Founders Edition", with a more refined thermal solution, will be available only on Nvidia's portal, with a final cost of $699. Those who prefer a more economical option can acquire the GTX 1070 (specifications not yet confirmed) at $379 and $449.
