Interview cont.

FiringSquad: Will NVIDIA be announcing any interesting new products at Comdex besides mobile? Can you give us any hints? It is rumored that NVIDIA may finally announce the NV20 (GeForce3).

BB: This is only my second day and you are already trying to get me in trouble. Shame on you James.

(Sorry, I had to try. -ed.)

FiringSquad: Where do you see 3D graphics moving in the near future? Embedded memory? Tile based rendering? How does NVIDIA plan on pushing the envelope?

BB: NVIDIA has been pushing the graphics envelope for a while now and will continue to do so. We are exploring a number of ways to increase image quality and increase the speed needed for real-time photo-realistic graphics on the PC. Embedded memory and tile based rendering are possibilities. But do not be surprised if we introduce something new, like we did with the GPU.

FiringSquad: Is the NV20 performing up to expectations?

BB: I can not comment on unannounced products.

FiringSquad: What's the difference between the GeForce 2 Pro and the Ultra? Is it simply different core and memory clock speeds?

BB: The GeForce2 Pro is only available in systems purchased through our PC OEMs. It closely resembles the specs for the GeForce2 GTS, but has 20% more bandwidth. The Ultra is the fastest GPU in the GeForce2 family. One of the key ways to increase the amount of information you can move is by increasing the speeds of the core and memory clock. We accomplished the new clock speeds by using a new semiconductor process from TSMC in order to make the Ultra.

FiringSquad: How's the work on the X-box progressing? In your opinion, will the PC be able to provide superior 3D performance (possibly through an NVIDIA product) by the time Microsoft releases the X-box?

BB: Work on the Xbox is progressing nicely. When it is released, it is sure to be the most powerful console available and will have an astonishing number of titles for a new platform. Console gamers are a larger and different group when compared to PC gamers. The hardware will be different, too. The Xbox will take the best the PC has to offer and put it in to a dedicated device. That maximizes the ease of use for the consumer. Xbox is a locked down device so the flexibility to add new components as higher performing ones become available (which the all purpose PCs have), is limited. The PC and Xbox are complementary devices. Each has very distinct audiences.