NVIDIA quietly slips GeForce 9600 GSO entry graphics
updated 10:05 am EDT, Mon April 28, 2008
NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GSO
NVIDIA has opted for a low-key release today in its unveiling for the GeForce 9600 GSO, a new entry-to-mid range video chipset. The card uses the same single-slot design and chip features of the 9600 GT but scales down both clock speed and the memory path to trim the price. The GSO runs its core at 550MHz (down from 650MHz) and its 384MB of memory at an effective 1.6GHz (down from the 1.8GHz of the GT's 512MB of memory). A 192-bit memory interface also shrinks the complexity of the chip from its 256-bit counterpart.
The estimated prices for the 9600 GSO haven't been unveiled, but are likely to run significantly below the $169 of the 9600 GT for cards made by NVIDIA's typical choices for third-party manufacturers. Reports have circulated that the GSO is a preemptive response to AMD's anticipated ATI Radeon HD 3830, which itself should go on sale for between $119 and $129.
