Higher-end NVIDIA GeForce 600M details slip
updated 11:30 am EST, Fri March 9, 2012
GeForce GTX 680M, GT 650M, 640M show
The higher end of NVIDIA's GeForce 600M lineup may have been leaked this week. The GTX 680M, GT 650M, and GT 640M spotted in the Notebook Review forums would be true next-generation parts using the Kepler architecture on a much smaller, more efficient 28 nanometer process. The GTX 680M as the centerpiece would use the full GK104 core from the desktop and make the most of its speed with a 256-bit bus and GDDR5 memory.
The GT 640M and GT 650M would use the somewhat cut-down GK107 version of the core, with a 128-bit bus and slightly slower GDDR3 memory. Early benchmarks give the 650M a disproportionately high level of performance for the category and support NVIDIA's clues that Kepler is a full generational leap.
While it has yet to be fully corroborated, at least the 680M could show as soon as March 12. NVIDIA often tries to line up one or more notebook makers with systems ready at or soon after the initial appearance. Launch details for the more mid-range 640M and 650M aren't as specific, although April is a possibility.
