Mon Jan 14, 2002 11:34 pm
Just some thoughts on Nvidia's business strategy. They released the GF3 not too terribly long ago. The early adopters paid $350 for a blazingly fast video card, so why would they want to pay that same amount again to make Quake run at 300 fps instead of "just" 170? As for those who are just now buying a GF3/Ti200/Ti500, why would they suddenly want to buy an expensive new GF4?
All I ever heard about was how the GF3 was entirely revolutionary. Can the GF4 be so much more? There isn't even a new version of DirectX to be fully compliant with (save for minor upgrades to the vertex and pixel shaders). It just seems to me that Nvidia is flooding the market with video cards that, while certainly (or simply marginally) better than the previous generation, are unnecessary and will only serve to limit their sales. Now, I know all about their dedication to a 6-month product cycle. But, the home console market thrives on a 5-year cycle. Just look at the revenue for home consoles. They are just as big an industry as movies. Why, then, would Nvidia find it necessary to marginally improve a product every six months?
Anyone out there, please enlighten me.