Nvidia introduces Ion, sandwiches 9400M to Atom
Nvidia has announced that they are leaping feet first into the netbook gam with a CPU + GPU combo known as Ion.
What that really is is their GeForce 9400M GPO motherboard sandwiched together with an Atom chipset. The idea is to start making netbooks that can run Vista and other state-of-the-art without staggering like concussed mules. If you snickered at "state-of-the-art," commence the run up to high-five me.
I have ponderous theories about netbooks, and while more capable machines are always good, I really don't care about running GPU-intensive tasks on a netbook. Netbooks are for writing, not Crysis. Netbooks are pretty much ideal as far as I'm concerned, short of all-day battery life, which only the Samsung NC10 can claim without prompting a spit take (although it's still a lie).
Nvidia, on their part, say "battery life will stay about the same," but that's not what I want: I'd rather a weaker GPU and battery life that's doubled.
Ion should premier sometime in early 2009.
NVidia's Ion turbocharges Intel's atom [PC World]
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Lonin on Nvidia introduces Ion, sandwic...
"This sounds great, I can't wait to see the fruits of this platform. I've been lo..."
Robabob on Nvidia introduces Ion, sandwic...
"I can't wait for these devices to hit the shelves. As a Windows user (Sorry no ..."
dculberson on Nvidia introduces Ion, sandwic...
"The GPU is for so much more than just gaming, especially once the GPGPU stuff be..."
Agies on Nvidia introduces Ion, sandwic...
"I sure do like a nice set of netbook gams. I've always said that the market had ..."
uncola on Nvidia introduces Ion, sandwic...
"If the GPU in netbooks was any slower, the screen would be BLANK. This Ion plat..."
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uncola
#1 – 5:20 AM December 18, 2008
If the GPU in netbooks was any slower, the screen would be BLANK. This Ion platform is a good thing.
Agies
#2 – 5:31 AM December 18, 2008
I sure do like a nice set of netbook gams. I've always said that the market had legs. Even better if it runs faster.
My work is done here.
dculberson
#3 – 6:26 AM December 18, 2008
The GPU is for so much more than just gaming, especially once the GPGPU stuff becomes more common. (General Purpose GPU) A lot of the math work your CPU does will be offloaded to the GPU. I can't wait!
(But, even for web browsing, a good GPU is better. I upgraded my work machine and everything was more responsive.)
Robabob
#4 – 7:29 AM December 18, 2008
I can't wait for these devices to hit the shelves. As a Windows user (Sorry no changing this so don't suggest I try a Linux or Mac verison) the only thing stopping me buying a netbook is that I'm loathed to spend money on something incapable of running the latest version of Windows.
Lonin
#5 – 4:46 PM December 18, 2008
This sounds great, I can't wait to see the fruits of this platform. I've been looking at the Asus N10 simply because it has a switchable 9300M card in it. One of the primary things I do with my current (17in beast) laptop is play movies, often 720p, which no other netbook is capable of doing consistently. Plus, being able to play simple games every once in awhile wouldn't hurt.
I guess I'll be waiting 'til June for my Netbook purchase then.