SFF.Network [SFF Network] Nvidia launches the GTX 950

Today Nvidia is launching the GTX 950, a new mid-range card aimed at the $150 market. While cards like the GTX 980Ti and Fury X grab headlines, this more affordable price bracket is much larger in terms of sales volume and as such is an important launch for Nvidia, considering their previous offering, the 750Ti, is now almost a year and a half old. The GTX 950 uses a slightly cut-down version of GM206, the chip used in the GTX 960, and as such features performance between the 750Ti and 960.

Read more here.

 

[MJVR1]

The big feature for me is the onboard 4k encoder and decoder. And because of its stupid low TDP, it can fit in a wide variety of cases and still rock the house in terms of thermals and acoustics. Though a single slot or low profile version of this card would be awesome like you mentioned. A low profile version that could fit in a Lone Industries l3 or something would be a fantastic htpc/console killer.

 

[niksus]

Actually the TDP is stupidly high - a bit higher than low profile version requirements.

 

[jeshikat]

They made low-profile versions of the 7850 and that has similar TDP and power consumption to the GTX 950.

 

[jtd871]

The photos seem to show a SLI connector. Has anybody confirmed this? That could be a compelling reason to buy (for some).

My first impression though is that stretching another ~40$ gets you a "full-on" 960 with similar power requirements in the same package dimensions. Until somebody does a full-custom version (small PCB / single-slot / low profile / no PCIe power req'd, or some combination of these), which I suspect may not be cost-competitive unless the custom version is so compelling that it sells like hotcakes.

I do wonder, however, if the 950 would be a better "value" choice for a low-to-mid AutoCAD workstation than a 960.

 

[Vittra]

It's a cut down 960, so SLI will be likely.

The lack of HDCP 2.2 and higher TDP than the 750(/Ti) make it unappealing though. Pricing such as it is in Canada makes the 950 and 960 too close to ever consider the 950 for any reason at all.

 

[iFreilicht]

I think we'll have to see how the card actually performs. It is indeed very close to the 960 in terms of price and the 750Ti is a lot cheaper, if it doesn't perform in a similar range it will have a hard time in the market.
Something I would've rather seen was a replacement for the 750Ti, something with the same TDP and power requirements but higher performance. Though the 750Ti already has a current gen processor, so that wouldn't've been possible, right?

 

[Phuncz]

The Broadwell CPUs come dangerously close to the performance of a 750Ti with Intel CPU, so it might just not be commercially viable to invest in low-end anymore for Nvidia.

 

[iFreilicht]

Ah, I didn't know about that. That's true, in that case it might be more viable for nVidia to just let the 750Ti stay where it is and let it fade out in the next generation.
On the other hand, renaming it to GTX 940 would've made sense if they keep actively selling it to fit into the current line-up.

 

[Vittra]

GTX 750 (Ti) was the first Maxwell part, before the 9xx series, so it is indeed part of the latest range. It's probably about as much as they could leverage out of the current tech, so the 950 ended up a cut down 960. As Phuncz said, they may be planning ahead.

Of course, Broadwell to date remains MIA for the market at large.

Back to the 950 - apparently in terms of hardware, the card (and the 960) does qualify for HDCP 2.2 - it could be waiting for the applicable certifications that is holding Nvidia back from the announcement.