The usual strategy for releasing new graphics cards is as follows: company releases ridiculously expensive graphics card, few can afford it, then as its technology ages it gets cheaper and trickles down to the lower ends of the market. Nvidia's strategy for its new GeForce 9600 GT is a little different: it's being pitched directly into the massmarket. The 9600 GT is the first card in Nvidia's GeForce 9 series, and instead of coming in at a silly-expensive price will launch in the entirely reasonable $169-189 range. Bold new territory for a graphics hardware company, then, but it also shows Nvidia are serious about this whole PC gaming alliance deal, as it gives a good slap in the chops to the "upgrading is too expensive" argument.
[Nvidia Product Page]