Nvidia has unveiled four new Quadro professional cards, all equipped with DirectX 10 GPUs.
For those looking for a high performance multi-screen 2D configuration, one or probably several Quadro NVS 290s should do the job. Based on a G86 and equipped with 256 MB of DDR2 interfaced in 64 bits, power consumption doesn’t go above 21 Watts. There is passive cooling and a DMS-59 connector which can be relayed to two screens with the cable provided with the card. A PCI-E x1 version will be available which will allow installation of several cards on almost any PCI-Express motherboard. The price should be around $149.
In terms of 3D, the Quadro FX 370 will not be an overachiever because it is also equipped with 256 MB of DDR2 interfaced in 64 bits. However, its sales price is only $129 and it consumes a mere 33 Watts. According to our colleagues at
Beyond3D, it is probably fitted with a G84.
Built around this same G84 and still aided by 256 MB of DDR2 but with a 128 bit bus, the Quadro FX 570 should be rather similar to the GeForce 8500 GT in terms of frequencies. Maximum power consumption is now at 38 Watts and there is Dual-Link DVI support. The price remains reasonable for a mid-level Quadro FX at $199.
The Quadro FX 370 and FX 570 are so similar that Nvidia used the same photo for the two cards. We only give you the photo once.Finally, the Quadro FX 1700 is of course the most powerful of the four. Its price of $699 is justified by the presence of an HD connection and 512 MB, even if they are still linked to a G84 by a 128 bit bus, with power consumption therefore reaching a high of 42 Watts.
One interesting detail, according to the same sources, is that these last three cards will support second generation PCI-Express. The PCI-E controller inside the G84 will be capable of functioning at the speeds of the new norm, however, its specifications will not be entirely supported in hardware. Therefore, certain drivers and bios will be necessary in order for it to actually function in practice. This last point isn’t totally without interest, because the supplementary bandwidth offered by PCI-E 2.0 may be of real benefit for certain professional applications.
With the release of these cards in October, Nvidia will have entirely renewed its professional 3D line as the Quadro FX 4600 and FX 5600 were already announced in March.
In addition to its X38 chipset, which up until now has been presented as its flagship model with two real PCI-E 2.0 16x ports, Intel is currently planning to release the X48 in the beginning of 2008. This will be a more developed version of the X38 with official support of a 1600 MHz FSB and DDR3-1600. Of course, these will still fit on the same motherboard. The source of this information, our colleagues at 
ATI has finally put its