NVIDIA Launches the GeForce GTX 680

NVIDIA has today released the first offering based on its Kepler architecture, the GeForce GTX 680. If you were beginning to think that graphics cards were becoming a little boring, I am sure AMD’s recent launch of its HD 7000 series and now NVIDIA’s launch of Kepler remedies that. Comparing the two highest-end parts from both companies, however, NVIDIA becomes the champ. The GTX 680 performs better overall when compared to the HD 7970, and is priced lower to boot.

We’re running a bit behind on our full look at NVIDIA’s latest card, but have posted a preview showcasing some of what Kepler brings to the table, along with a couple of initial performance results. I’d recommend checking that out as it should do well to whet your appetite for the full review next week.

At the end of the first page, I state, “we have improved FXAA performance, an added TXAA mode, GPU Boost, Adaptive VSync, improved tessellation performance, a redesigned SM module (dubbed SMX), a redesigned cooler aiming to be the quietest ever and perhaps best of all, single GPU multi-monitor.“

If that’s not enough to get you just a wee bit excited, then I didn’t do a good enough job in presenting the information! With NVIDIA finally giving in and allowing multiple monitors to be used from a single GPU, the doors are blown wide open for gamers to take advantage of that cool technology. In doing so, it does take away one of AMD’s major selling-points, but it all works out well for the end-consumer.

How AMD will react to this launch is unknown, but I am sure we’ll see something happen in the next week or so, namely in way of a price drop. Though AMD’s HD 7970 is still an attractive card, when NVIDIA is offering a faster performing model for less, it’s hard for even an AMD fanboi to ignore.

Stay tuned for our full look at NVIDIA’s GTX 680 next week.