A report from Tom’s Hardware states that NVIDIA’s next-generation GeForce GPUs, tentatively being referred to as the GTX 11-series, will include a new connector with enough bandwidth to support future VR headsets much higher resolutions and greater refresh rates.
According to a report by Tom’s Hardware, citing anonymous sources, Nvidia’s next generation of GPUs will be capable of 120Hz output at high resolutions over a single cable thanks to a new connector. The report states it could be a proprietary Nvidia connector, but doesn’t rule out the possibility of the HDMI 2.1 spec given HDMI’s status as a widely acceptable standard.
The latest high-end consumer headsets have displays that run at 90Hz with a resolution of 2,880 × 1,600 across both eyes, like the Vive Pro and Samsung Odyssey. Several new displays aimed at future VR headsets push those figures much higher, like the Google & LG display demonstrated earlier this year, which offers 4,800 × 3,840 at 120Hz, a significant jump in the amount of data that needs to not only be generated by the GPU, but then transmitted from the GPU to the headset.
In the past Nvidia has demonstrated strong support for VR and continues deep research in the field, so we wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the company is considering the needs of future VR headsets when it comes to its next generation of GPUs.
As for when the GTX 11-series GPUs might actually launch: various rumors suggest the cards would be announced later this Summer, but Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told reporters in June that the launch of the company’s next-gen GeForce cards would be “a long time from now,” but hasn’t given any detail on what a ‘long time’ means to the company.