Unnamed sources claim that Nvidia’s upcoming GeForce GTX 1180 add-in graphics card for desktops will likely include a proprietary connector for virtual reality headsets to support 120Hz refresh rates over a single cable. This port will likely be based on the current HDMI 2.1 specification given it’s widely accepted across manufacturers.
Current desktop-based headsets support refresh rates of 90Hz, the vomit-prevention standard in virtual reality where the visuals are rendered at 90 frames per second to prevent motion sickness. This is why you need a somewhat-beefy graphics card to handle the experience. Both the top-of-the-line Samsung HMD Odyssey and HTC Vive Pro render frames on two 3.5-inch AMOLED displays at 1,440 x 1,600 while the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift rely on two 3.5-inch AMOLED screens at 1,080 x 1,200.
But with the GTX 1180, Nvidia is seemingly getting customers ready for the next generation. For instance, Google and LG teamed up to create a 4.3-inch OLED display with 1,443 pixels per inch and a 120Hz refresh rate designed specifically for a wide field of view in virtual reality. The prototype shown earlier this year had a 4,800 x 3,840 resolution while the accompanying paper said the display would rely on eye tracking to blur the areas residing outside the player’s current focus, putting less work on the graphics card.
While rumors point to a definite 2018 release for the GeForce GTX 11 Series, when the cards actually arrive is still somewhat of a mystery. So far, Nvidia appears set to launch its GeForce GTX 11 Series during Gamescom, as the company is supposedly sending members of the press out to Germany for a specific GeForce-related event before or during the gaming convention. Given that’s a long trip, Nvidia likely has more to show the attending press members than a few cool games running on GeForce hardware.
Backing this Gamescom rumor is the volume production of Micron’s GDDR6 memory announced at the end of June, which will supposedly be used on the GTX 11 Series cards. Reports also state that add-in card manufacturers will receive Nvidia’s GPU by the end of August or the beginning of September, which could then take weeks or several months to produce on-the-shelf products. Any problems related to the new “Turing” architecture could push mass availability into the first quarter of 2019.
A recent photo removed from Reddit indicates that card manufacturers may already have the boards manufactured but are waiting on the graphics chips and memory. The version seen in the photo was a prototype that included three eight-pin power connectors, 12 modules of Micron’s GDDR6 memory, and a possible NVLink component, but no GPU.
Signs of a 2018 release was up in the air after a comment made by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during a Computex press conference. At the time, he admitted that gamers may not see next-generation graphics cards for “a long time from now,” but didn’t state a release window. Given mass availability may not happen until the end of 2018, that is a long time for gamers eagerly waiting for Nvidia’s next-generation graphics cards.
Mozilla is giving Firefox’s Smart Window two new tricks. If you haven’t tried it yet, Smart Window is an optional AI mode in Firefox with a built-in chat that helps you get things done while you browse. With this update, it can fill out online forms using details from your tabs and keep an eye on websites for you.
Tired of typing the same details into every form?
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.