Nvidia is taking a swing at rival Advanced Micro Devices with the release of the GeForce GTX 460, the first sub-$200 video card based on the graphic chip maker’s next-generation, DirectX 11-ready Fermi architecture.

The 768MB version of the GeForce GTX 460, released Monday, has a 192-bit memory interface and is listed by Santa Clara, Calif.-based Nvidia at $199. A 1GB version of the new video card with a 256-bit memory interface is priced at $229 and will be available on July 26, according to Nvidia.

Several months ago, Nvidia kickstarted its Fermi era, referencing the code name for its GF100 generation of graphics processors, with the release of its high-end GeForce GTX 480 card. That card prices out at about $500, and even the more affordable GTX 470 and GTX 465 are still priced well north of $200.

Now Nvidia is claiming "monster tessellation performance" in the sub-$200 "sweet spot" of the enthusiast market with the new GTX 460. What's more, the graphics chip maker boasts that its new mainstream gaming card provides four times the performance of "competing processors."

Full story: CRN