The next generation of graphics processing has arrived, with Nvidia and AMD releasing graphics cards based on their brand-new architectures.<\/p>\n
AMD’s Polaris and Pascal cards are aimed at different markets, although both technologies offer increased performance-per-watt over previous graphics generations.<\/p>\n
Below is a summary of the two architectures, including the specifications and South African pricing of the new graphics cards.<\/p>\n
AMD’s Polaris architecture uses a 14nm FinFET<\/strong> manufacturing process, while Nvidia’s Pascal architecture uses 16nm FinFET<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The difference in manufacturing process does not equate to a difference in performance, which can only be measured by comparison of specifications and benchmarks.<\/p>\n Pascal and Polaris cards are engineered for increased performance and support\u00a0DirectX 12<\/strong> and Vulkan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The DirectX 12 and Vulkan APIs function similarly, improving performance on multi-core processors and allowing games to make full use of\u00a0newer gaming systems.<\/p>\n The increasingly-popular Vulkan API is the more open of the two APIs and is usable on multiple platforms, as opposed to DirectX 12 – which is only compatible with Windows 10<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Both AMD and Nvidia have traditionally used different technologies to improve gaming performance and offer better features.<\/p>\n While Nvidia uses\u00a0it’s closed GameWorks<\/strong> to include features such as HairWorks into games, AMD’s GPUOpen<\/strong> platform also features similar technology using an open-source platform.<\/p>\n This means that it is easier and more effective for developers to make use of GPUOpen technology to implement graphics technology in their games, instead of paying for a Nvidia GameWorks license for similar results.<\/p>\n With AMD’s\u00a0Polaris cards offering an inexpensive mid-range GPU solution, more developers may opt to use GPUOpen in order to ensure smooth performance across all graphics cards.<\/p>\n Nvidia and AMD’s new graphics cards are aimed at vastly different performance markets.<\/p>\n Nvidia’s Pascal GPUs are aimed at high-end PC gamers and hardware enthusiasts, offering exceptional single-card performance for up to 4K gaming.<\/p>\n On the other hand, AMD’s Polaris graphics cards aim to fulfill the hardware needs of value-oriented PC gamers, using the latest GPU technology to offer superior performance at a reasonable price.<\/p>\n Nvidia has revealed two Pascal cards so far – the GeForce GTX 1070<\/strong> and GTX 1080<\/strong>, which both offer record-breaking performance.<\/p>\n Below are the specifications and benchmarks of the two Nvidia Pascal cards:<\/strong><\/p>\nPerformance<\/strong><\/h3>\n