Nvidia rolls out latest PCI-based graphics solution

Nvidia Corp. introduced a new family of professional graphics products that is based on the PCI Express bus architecture. Family members include the Quadro FX 4400, the Quadro FX 4400G, the Quadro FX 1400 and the Quadro FX 540.

According to the company, the Quadro FX 4400 is the undisputed performance leader of its professional graphics line. This solution features 512MB of G-DDR3 frame buffer memory, a 256-bit memory interface, 35.2GBps of memory bandwidth, 3-pin stereo support and dual DVI display connectors. "The Quadro FX 4400 board is the MVP in a new family of distinct PCI Express workstation graphics solutions," said K.B. Ng, marketing director at Nvidia Asia-Pacific. "This new family delivers everything users could hope for - record-setting performance, cutting-edge features such as Shader Model 3.0 and fp32 support, high quality and even investment protection with upgrade options for genlock, framelock and dual-GPU mode."

The Quadro FX 4400G delivers genlock and framelock capabilities aside from its powerful FX 4400 architecture and advanced feature set. The framelock capability allows professionals to link multiple systems in a cluster to scale power to problem size for life-sized visualization, while gunlock allows users to sync with standard signal formats and house-sync signals for video post-production, broadcast, compositing and editing.

Even with its accessible price, the Quadro FX 1400 offers an advanced feature set and promises to outperform some competitor's high-end professional graphics products. Meanwhile, the Quadro FX 540 has an attractive price and high definition component output support, making it a suitable solution for video previewing and recording. Not limited to just video applications, this solution is a solid choice for any professional 3D graphics application, including medical imaging, simulations and mission rehearsals.

All boards support Nvidia's SLI (Scalable Link Interface) technology that can link two Quadro FX 4400 boards together. With the SLI, users will be able to upgrade their systems to a dual-board setup on their own timetable for an increase in graphics horsepower. A suite of software provides dynamic load balancing, and advanced rendering and compositing to ensure smooth frame rates and outstanding image quality.