NVIDIA today finally announced its new series of graphics processors and cards that were originally known as NV18 and NV28. The former is a good-old GeForce4 MX GPU with AGP 8x support and a bit redesigned PCB, the latter is the GeForce4 Ti4200 that can work in AGP 8x mode. The Santa Clara based semiconductor developer also reminded that they have the nForce2 chipset, which provides AGP 8x support, but is not yet available.

Apparently, the new GeForce4 solutions will be a bit different compared to the predecessors in terms of clock-speeds and performance. For instance, the GeForce4 MX440 with AGP 8x now can support up to 128MB of DDR SDRAM. The GPU clocking is set to 275MHz, while the memory runs at blazing 500MHz compared to 400MHz of the original GeForce4 MX440. The reference design of such board is equipped with a DVI-I, a D-Sub and a TV-Out connector. The interesting fact is that NVIDIA decided to utilise BGA memory with the GeForce4 MX440 with AGP 8x. Graphics cards powered by the GeForce4 Ti4200 with AGP 8x are recommended to manufacture with 128MB of DDR SDRAM, clocked at 250 (500)MHz, the core itself should also work at 250MHz. Like all the other GeForce4 Ti4200 graphics cards, the new one should be equipped with a DVI-I, D-Sub and a TV-Out connector.

The architecture of the GPUs remained the same – two rendering pipelines with two texture units per each for the GeForce4 MX and four rendering pipelines with two texture units per each for the GeForce4 Ti.

Those who had read our issues in regards the GeForce4 MX 440SE will definitely ask us why NVIDIA has not announced such product. It seems that NVIDIA has decided to leave some space for a number of their partners, who want to offer products that are a bit more advanced compared to the reference. We have already seen that happening with the GeForce3 Ti200 and the GeForce4 Ti4200 when numerous of vendors offered their graphics cards made with more advanced PCB design or running at a bit higher frequencies.

Expect the GeForce4 MX440 and Ti4200 with AGP 8x support graphics cards from ASUStek, Chaintech, Epox, eVGA.com, Gainward, Jaton, Leadtek Research, MSI and PNY Technologies soon. The graphics cards based on the GeForce4 MX440 with AGP 8x support will hit the retail shortly, while the more expensive GeForce4 Ti4200 with AGP 8x support will appear on the shelves of computer stores in a number of weeks.