What is a "fermi?"

[varrius]

I've been looking around on the internets. However, I just can't seem to find anything that discerns what the Fermi name means.

Does anyone here care to enlighten me?

[informal]

Hint : type "fermi wiki" next time ;).

To save you those 5 seconds,here it is :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrico_Fermi

[varrius]

That doesn't discern the actual meaning of the name of the video card.

Are you implying that Fermi was named after Enrico? That's strange. :shakes:

[Piotrsama]

"Fermi", also nicknamed "Furbi", "Fergie" and "Firmy", among others.

Hope that helps...

Otherwise... it's just a codename.

[ReverendMaynard]

That doesn't discern the actual meaning of the name of the video card.

Are you implying that Fermi was named after Enrico? That's strange. :shakes:

it has everything to do with the name. Physics was his thing :)

[systemviper]

Fermi is a 40nm GPU just like RV870 but it has a 40% higher transistor count. Both are built at TSMC, so you can expect that Fermi will cost NVIDIA more to make than ATI's Radeon HD 5870.

Then timing is just as valid, because while Fermi currently exists on paper, it's not a product yet. Fermi is late. Clock speeds, configurations and price points have yet to be finalized. NVIDIA just recently got working chips back and it's going to be at least two months before I see the first samples. Widespread availability won't be until at least Q1 2010.


hope that is what you were looking for


from here (http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3651)

[varrius]

hope that is what you were looking for


from here (http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3651)

No, I am trying to figure out why they chose the name "Fermi." I know what the video card is.

[Frag Maniac]

I'm quite sure naming it after Enrico Fermi, whom designed the first nuclear reactor, had more to do with the GPU's raw power than the physics end of it. Then again, Nvidia DOES like to wax on about PhysX. I'm really skeptical as to how useful it will really be once DX11's physics on the GPU capability is commonly written for in games though.

Anyway, Fermi appears now to have been just an introductory hook. They are now labeling them the GTX400 series, with the first two being the 470 and 480 models. Too soon too tell yet though how powerful a PSU you'll need to avoid meltdown.

[varrius]

Perhaps it was named Fermi because you'll need a nuclear reactor to power it.

[Your_Boss]

No, I am trying to figure out why they chose the name "Fermi." I know what the video card is.

Maybe this will help
http://www.falstad.com/scale/

Seems to be the smallest particle ever!

Maybe it'll be the smallest preformance increase ever!:p:

[varrius]

Hey, I just got a "fermi."

[Strafe]

Nicola "Tesla", Enrico "Fermi"... I see a pattern here.

[Conumdrum]

The Fermilab, a giant partical accelerator outside of Chicago has been operation for years. It's named after Enrico Fermi, a genius long ago. They probably picked Fermi for that exact purpose. Fermi is really top engineering and gives a top technical name. Otherwise even naming it "Bob" would mean nothing to us.

Why does Danger Den name a GPU block Tieton? because he wants to, it's a mountain in his area.

The OP could ask someone at the Nvidia labs I guess. The name doen't matter. But not a bad name.

[cadaveca]

The Fermilab, a giant partical accelerator outside of Chicago has been operation for years. It's named after Enrico Fermi, a genius long ago. They probably picked Fermi for that exact purpose. Fermi is really top engineering and gives a top technical name. Otherwise even naming it "Bob" would mean nothing to us.

@ FermiLab, they take two bits of matter, and smash 'em together, and see what's left.

nVidia are taking pure GPGPU functions, and smashing it together with 3D.

:yepp:

[varrius]

That's cool.

[SocketMan]

I believe the translation from the ancient Roman is:
"The way it was meant to be failed" :rofl: