Press Release

9 MAY 2008

SPARKLE Refresh Mainstream  Market
with GeForce 9600 GSO Graphics Card
 

Taipei, Taiwan – MAY 9, 2008 - SPARKLE Computer Co., Ltd., the professional VGA card manufacturer and supplier, today refresh main stream graphics card market by proudly announcing  the SPARKLE GeForce 9600 GSO Graphics Card, the latest weapon in the GeForce 9 family giving gamers the horsepower to play cutting-edge DirectX 10 games at a price they will love and can afford.

Using NVIDIA latest DX10 unified architecture, the SPARKLE GeForce 9600 GSO Graphics Card redefines the DX10 visual experience for mainstream gamers. It  features 550MHz core speed, 1600MHz memory speed with 192-bit 384MB GDDR3 video memory. With 96 extreme fast stream processors at 1375MHz,  the SPARKLE GeForce 9600 GSO Graphics Card can deliver amazing floating point processing power for unmatched DX 10 3D performance in latest DX10 games, such as Gears of War, Crysis, Bioshock and so on. Also with the new compression technology, the SPARKLE GeForce 9600 GSO Graphics Card  will lead about 20% than previous G80 products in latest DX10 games. The SPARKLE GeForce 9600 GSO Graphics Card features dual heat-pipe fan cooling system using high technology. Compared with conventional fan cooling system, it features higher throughput thanks to high efficiency heat-pipe optimized for mass heat volatilization. It has high performance thermal compound ensures optimal thermal dissipation even after years of use.

The SPARKLE GeForce 9600 GSO Graphics Card improves high-definition video playback on everyday PCs by leveraging NVIDIA PureVideo® HD technology to deliver high-quality playback of HD DVD and Blu-ray movies. The new programmable video-processing engine takes on all of the high-definition H.264 video decoding, freeing the CPU to perform other tasks, while significantly reducing power consumption, heat, and noise. Spectacular picture clarity and vibrant color is achieved with advanced video processing technology. The SPARKLE GeForce 9600 GSO Graphics Card also supports dual-stream decode accelerations, which lower the average CPU usage to below 8% when using picture in picture feature.

Ahead for next generation data transportation standard, the SPARKLE GeForce 9600 GSO Graphics Card complies with PCI Express 2.0 standard, it can maximize the usage of 5GT/s bandwidth ( doubled than 2.5GT/s PCI Express 1.1 can provide) provided by PCI Express 2.0, to be full ready for future games and applications which have strict requirements on bandwidth. At the same time, the SPARKLE GeForce 9600 GSO Graphics Card is also compatible with with present PCI Express 1.1 motherboards with widest scope of support.

"With the SPARKLE GeForce 9600 GSO Graphics Card, immersive gaming with incredible graphics is now within the reach and budget of mainstream PC gamers for less than $129." Said Vivian Su, sales manager of SPARKLE Computer Co., Ltd. "The new SPARKLE GeForce 9600 GSO Graphics Card shows an improved performance-per-watt ratio compared to its predecessor as well as improved compression efficiency. It further extends SPARKLE’s ability to deliver improved 3D performance at an affordable price point, so that mainstream users can have an amazing gaming experience.”

GeForce 9600 GSO Features and Benefits :

• NVIDIA® unified architecture
  Fully unified shader core dynamically allocates processing power to geometry, vertex, physics, or pixel shading operations, delivering up to 2x the gaming performance of prior generation GPUs.
• GigaThread™ Technology
  Massively multi-threaded architecture supports thousands of independent, simultaneous threads, providing.
• Full Microsoft® DirectX® 10 support
  World’s first DirectX 10 GPU with full Shader Model 4.0 support delivers unparalleled levels of graphics realism and film-quality effects.
• NVIDIA® SLI™ technology
  Delivers up to 2x the performance of a single graphic cards configuration for unparalleled gaming experiences by allowing two cards to run in parallel. The must-have feature for performance PCI Express® graphics, SLI technology dramatically scales performance on today’s hottest games.
• NVIDIA® Lumenex™ Engine
  Delivers stunning image quality and floating point accuracy at ultra-fast frame rates: 16x Anti-aliasing: Lightning fast, high-quality anti-aliasing at up to 16x sample rates obliterates jagged edges 128-bit floating point High Dynamic-Range(HDR):Twice the precision of prior generations for incredibly realistic lighting effects-now  with support for anti-aliasing.
• NVIDIA® Quantum Effects™ Ttechnology
  Advanced shader processors architected for physics computation enable a new level of physics to be simulated and rendered on the GPU –all white freeing the CPU to run game engine and AI.
• NVIDIA® ForceWare®  Unified Driver Architecture (UDA)
  Delivers a proven record of compatibility reliability and stability with the widest range of games and applications ForceWare provides the best out-of-box experience and delivers continuous performance and feature updates over the life of NVIDIA GeForce GPUs.
• OpenGL® 2.1 optimizations and support
  Ensures top-notch compatibility and performance for OpenGL applications.
• NVIDIA® nView® Multi-Display Technology
  Advanced technology provides the ultimate in viewing flexibility and control for multiple monitors.
• PCI Express 2.0 support
  Designed to run perfectly with the PCI Express bus architecture, which doubles the bandwidth of PCI Express 1.1  to deliver  16GB/sec. in both upstream and downstream data transfers.
• Dual 400MHz RAMDACs
  Blazing-fast RAMDACs support dual QXGA displays with ultra-high, ergonomic refresh rates –up to 2048x1536@85Hz.
• Dual Dual-Link DVI Support
  Able to drive industry’s largest and highest resolution flat-panel displays up to 2560x1600.
• Built for Microsoft® Windows Vista™
  NVIDIA’s fourth-generation GPU architecture built for Windows Vista gives users the best possible experience with the Windows Aero 3D graphical user interface.
• NVIDIA PureVideo HD VP2 technology
  NVIDIA®  PureVideo™  HD VP2 technology is the combination of high-definition movie decode acceleration and post-processing, HDCP circuitry, and integration with HD movie players that delivers the ultimate high-definition movie experience on a PC.
• Discrete, Programmable Video Processor
  NVIDIA PureVideo is a discrete programmable processing core in NVIDIA GPUs that provides superb picture quality and ultra-smooth movies with low CPU utilization and power.
• Hardware Decode Acceleration
  Provides ultra-smooth playback of H.264, VC-1, WMV and PEG-2 HD and SD movies.
• Spatial-Temporal De-Interlacing
  Sharpens HD and standard definition interlaced content on progressive displays, delivering a crisp, clear picture that rivals high-end home-theater systems.
• High-Quality Scaling
  Enlarges lower resolution movies and videos to HDTV resolutions, up to 1080i, while maintaining a clear, clean image. Also  provides downscaling of videos, including high-definition, while preserving image detail.
• Inverse Telecine (3:2 & 2:2 Pulldown Correction)
  Recovers original film images from films-converted-to-video (DVDs, 1080i HD content), providing more accurate movie playback and superior picture quality.
• Bad Edit Correction
  When videos are edited after they have been converted from 24 to 25 or 30 frames, the edits can disrupt the normal 3:2 or 2:2  pulldown cadence. PureVideo uses advanced processing techniques to detect poor edits, recover the original content, and display  perfect picture detail frame after frame for smooth, natural looking video.
• Video Color Correction
  NVIDIA's Color Correction Controls, such as Brightness, Contrast and Gamma Correction let you compensate for the different color characteristics of various RGB monitors and TVs ensuring movies are not too dark, overly bright, or washed out regardless of  the video format or display type.
• Integrated SD and HD TV Output
  Provides world-class TV-out functionality via Composite, S-Video, Component, DVI, or HDMI connections. Supports resolutions up to 1080p depending on connection type and TV capability.
• HDCP Circuitry
  Designed to meet the output protection management (HDCP) and security specifications of the Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD formats, allowing the playback of encrypted movie content on PCs when connected to HDCP-compliant displays.
• HD Movie Player Integration
  NVIDIA PureVideo HD technology powers the world's leading HD movie player software applications, providing the optimal HD DVD and Blu-ray movie experience.
• Noise Reduction :
  Improves movie image quality by removing unwanted artifacts.
• Edge Enhancement:
  Sharpens movie images by providing higher contrast around lines and object.
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About SPARKLE Computer Co., Ltd.
SPARKLE Computer Co., Ltd, established in 1982, is a high-end VGA card manufacturer and supplier to mainly provide NVIDIA series VGA card. With its strong R&D ability and investment in both hardware and software, Sparkle aims to provide the most price-competitive products while with best-in-class quality and service. Not only launch partner, Sparkle is also one of the certificated vendors of NVIDIA. Currently, SPARKLE products sell in more than 80 countries and on the web at www.sparkle.com.tw