NVIDIA Volta GPU Discovered In Drivers; GPU Market Braces For GV100 To Power Volta-Based Titan X GPU

Reference to the NVIDIA Volta GPU has been unearthed by developers, affirming the coming of the new lineup that consumers will get to hear more in the GPU Technology Conference in May. The inclusion of a graphics device was included in the latest AIDA64 update, which could pertain to the previously reported GV100 GPU. The new information indicates that the GV100 could power the Volta-based Titan X GPU, which will be the top-tier product. Competition in the GPU market intensifies with the coming of the Volta GPU lineup to follow the back-to-back unveiling of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti and AMD Vega expected at the Game Developers Conference 2017.

NVIDIA is expected to unveil its next-generation GPU architecture in GTC 2017 with a launch anytime this year. Previous reports have only talked about the GTX 2000 series that was supposedly based on Volta, but recent reports support more of a Pascal refresh. With the success of the Pascal line particularly when the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti arrives, the GPU maker may be focusing more on the manufacturing aspect. Nonetheless, the NVIDIA Volta GPUs are still set to arrive sometime this year.

All eyes and ears are on the Pascal successor and what it can bring to the table in terms of performance boost and a much-improved fabrication process. The latest discovery by developers in the recent AIDA64 update reveals some interesting information about the NVIDIA Volta GPUs. A PCI device ID has been discovered in the update that indicates it belongs to 1D81 = Graphics Device, which could be the GV100. This is the new GPU from the Volta architecture that will feature the HBM2 technology, Tweak Town has learned.

The unannounced NVIDIA Volta GPU will be the "full fat" Volta GPU to power the Titan X, which is the top tier product in the new lineup, Segment Next reported. The new architecture will feature the GTX 3000 series with the GTX 3080 reported to have the HBM2 memory and not the GDDR6 as previously reported. The new GPUs are built on the custom 12nm process node from TSMC.

Though expected to launch this year, it is most likely that NVIDIA will release its flagship GPUs first like the GTX 3080 or the Titan X based on GV100. More details on the new NVIDIA Volta GPU lineup may be revealed during the GTC in May. In the meantime, gamers are highly anticipating the face-off between the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti and AMD Vega in the upcoming GDC this February 28.

NVIDIA will host the "GeForce GTX Gaming Celebration" on the said date starting at 6:30 p.m. PT. Meanwhile, AMD is also having its own "Capsaicin & Cream" event as part of the GDC on the same day starting at 10 a.m. PT. The conference is open to the public for the first time as more people have expressed interest to participate in the biggest gathering of developers and gamers for the year.