Video cards constantly evolve with new features higher performance and new chips. NVIDIA and ATI have been in a constant struggle to gain the gamers' dollar. Generally there are inflection points where there is a clear break from what has come before. DirectX 7 with HW T+L, DirectX 8 with Programmable Pixel and Vertex Shaders, DirectX 9 with PS 3.0 and VS 3.0, DirectX 10.0 with Pixel and Vertex Shader 4.0, offering longer programs and DirectX 10.1 which brought some visual improvements to DirectX.
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The end of 2009 will see the introduction of Windows 7 and DirectX 11 which is the next inflection point in graphics technology. NVIDIA and ATI are working hard on bringing solutions to the market that will support the new features brought by the new API from Microsoft. ATI went one route by making a new architecture with various ASPS and NVIDIA went the other route by re-using their already proven G92 chip to be the foundation of their counterpoint. The chip found in the GTS 250 has been around for almost two years with cards like the 8800GT/9800GTX/9800GX2 and now the GTS 250 around with modifications to the clock speed, the SPs, the memory bandwidth and clock speed differentiating the cards from one another. Today I'm reviewing the EVGA GeForce GTS 250 1GB card that is based upon that same chip.
