Nvidia shades it with cheaper chips

US chipmaking giant Nvidia launched the new chip series RTX 50 starting from US$549 (HK$4,282) apiece, about 66 percent cheaper than the previous generation with similar performance.

Nvidia claimed that the RTX 5070 should see performance equivalent to the RTX 4090, though the latter was sold at US$1,599.

The chips, which Nvidia calls its RTX 50 series, aim to give video games movie-like graphics, especially in a field known as "shaders," which can help images like a ceramic teapot look more realistic by adding imperfections and fingerprint smudges to its surface.

The new chips can also help game developers generate more accurate human faces, an area where players are apt to notice even slightly unrealistic features.

The chips will come in a smaller package that can be used by individual software developers to test their artificial intelligence systems quickly. The desktop will be available in March.

CEO Jensen Huang Jen-hsun expects automotive hardware and software revenue of US$5 billion in fiscal 2026, up from an expected US$4 billion this year.

Nvidia's stock closed at a record high of US$149.43 on Monday, bringing its valuation to US$3.66 trillion and making it the world's second-most valuable listed company behind Apple.

REUTERS