Budget DX11 GPU targets gaming apps

NVIDIA has started shipping its newest graphics processing unit (GPU)—the GeForce GTS 450, aimed at PC gamers looking for a budget DirectX 11 (DX11)-capable graphics card.

The key improvement in the new member of its Fermi-class GPU is support for DX11 tessellation. The graphics card maker said that with 1GB of GDDR5 memory, the $129 GTS 450 running at 783MHz is 65 percent faster than ATI's Radeon HD 5750. Used with DX9 and DX10 games, the GTS 450 is 30 percent faster, it added.

The GPU also supports various NVIDIA technologies such as 3D Vision, which provides the graphics horsepower and video bandwidth required for games and high definition Blu-ray movies, and SLI multi-GPU platform, which allows gamers add a second GTS 450 to their PC.

NVIDA said it is targeting PC gamers who play at mainstream resolutions (between 1600x1050 and 1280x1024), about 56 percent of all gamers, according to the latest Steam survey.

The graphics card maker announced that the GeForce GTS 450 is now available from various add-in card providers, including ASL, ASUS, Colorful, ECS, EVGA, Gainward, Galaxy, Gigabyte, Innovision 3D, Jetway, KFA2, Leadtek, MSI, Palit, Point of View, PNY, Sparkle and Zotac.