GPU coprocessor.

[Archer0915]

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August 21, 2009 at 11:33 AM

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Nvidia announces GPU+CPU support for Windows 7

Posted by Brier Dudley

If games and Vista Aero didn't pursuade you to buy a graphics card for your PC, perhaps DirectCompute will.

That's a new technology in Windows 7 that lets applications tap the power of graphics processors to accelerate performance, giving the system processor a boost. It sounds really promising, but so did ReadyBoost for Vista and it never seemed to take off.

Nvidia today announced that it's the first manufacturer of graphics processing units to get Microsoft's DirectCompute driver certification. People running Windows 7 with a GeForce GPU can download the driver (Version 190.62) from Nvidia later today.

I asked for a list of compatible Nvidia cards. Spokesman Hector Marinez said via e-mail that the DirectCompute driver will work with "all of our NVIDIA DirectX 10 graphics cards -- GeForce 8 series and later, including ION."

Mike Ybarra, Microsoft general manager for Windows Product Management, said in the release that "Windows 7 combined with applications that take advantage of the new DirectCompute technology have the potential to transform the personal computing experience for millions of customers using GPUs to turbo-charge scenarios in digital media applications."

Presumably ATI will announce its drivers soon.

[petteyg359]

Sounds interesting. On-the-fly conversion from x86 to whatever the architectures on GPUs are named?

[Archer0915]

I think it will work like Cuda but through special DX calls hence the DX 10 compatible cards and the mention of ATi getting in on it.

[nzaneb]

So are there any programs that actually incorporate DirectCompute now? or will this just be a novelty, similar to PhysX?

[Archer0915]

Considering MS henceforth to be known as Softzilla is pushing it I think we will see some support in the near future. Let us remember that Softzilla works with all hardware companies and the fact is if PhysX or Cuda could be run on all newer HW then it might have taken off but as it stands Softzilla was not behind it so it was almost doomed to failure.

[nzaneb]

I'm definitely interested in the CPU benchmarking implications, and whether the GPU can/will infiltrate into these CPU specific tests.

[Archer0915]

I think if the BM software is set up to use all potential calls and formulate a score based on comparison to a non gpu coprocessor enabled system then we can find the true potential.