Nvidia Ion...what is it? Does ATI have something to compare?

[TommyHolly]

Hey guys,
I've been seeing all sorts of stuff on the web about the new "Nvidia Ion" but nobody has been too specific about the details. I'm not too sure if it some altogether new type of Graphics card or something else. I think it a mobile GPU that is geared for the smaller then 15" laptop crowd but I'm not sure? I found just this one article talking about it:

Our Comments
So this is turning out to be a 9400M vs a HD3450 at the end of the day. Who will win this one? As far as power consumption is concerned, we reckon that it will be the Ion which has been designed from ground up around Intel's Atom platform. When it comes to performance, both scored similar marks on 3DMark 05, which is roughly 5 times better than the former GMA X3100.

Here are some questions:

1. Is this thing out yet? I saw some articles talking about the Lenovo S12 has it but I don't see it on Dell's website for any laptop?

2. Is this intended for ONLY the mini laptops that have the Atom processor or will other laptops with the Core 2 Duo have this thing?

3. The article above says it's 5 times faster then the GMA X3100, currently the fastest card Dell has for the Mini and Inspiron 13" and smaller laptops. Dell does carry an XPS M1330 that has a 128MB Nvidia Geforce 8400M GS but according to the article above, the GMA X3100 is based off a Nvidia 9400M which is I assume a nicer card then what goes in the XPS line???

3a. What is the best card then?
- GMA X3100 (Dell lists this as a "Intel Integrated Media Accelerator" which to means no video card on board, so the article above confuses me.)
- 128MB 8400M GS
- Nvidia 9400M (Size not mentioned?)
- ATI HD3450

4. I love my XPS M1330 laptop because of the weight and how powerfull the 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo is with a decent Nvidia M8400 GS video card. However, I would love to trade up if this "Ion" thing is really supposed to be 5 times faster. Is this BS or should I keep my eye on this and pick up one of these laptops when Dell gets one?

Thanks all!

 

[nd4spdbh2]

the "NVIDIA ION PLATFORM" is just the combination of an intel atom cpu (ones comonly found in netbooks and nettops) and their 9400M chipset / IO hub.

http://anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3562

The platform... more like just using an nvidia chipset with the atom is aimed at low powered computers... its a competitor to pulsubo (intels chipset / io hub all in one solution)


And keep your xps.... cus your 2.4ghz core 2 duo will spank any ion platform to the ground. the ATOM is a great cpu i love it but its not going to win any performance awards.

 

[Shiggity]

Nvidia Ion's chief goal is to capture market share from Intel's abyssmal integrated graphics market. Intel has gotten lazy in this area and everyone knows it.

The best thing an Nvidia Ion platform can do is play 1080p video. A netbook with the Ion platform + bluray player is essentially a home theatre PC in and of itself, that you can also take with you on the go to do regular stuff a normal laptop would accomplish. (Watching bluray on the actual netbook is a waste though, since the screens are no where close to 1920x1080.)

Just don't expect any kind of high end graphics from it, it's not for gaming. Sure it'll 'manage' some games at a passable FPS (very low resolution), but that's about it.

 

[nd4spdbh2]

Nvidia Ion's chief goal is to capture market share from Intel's abyssmal integrated graphics market. Intel has gotten lazy in this area and everyone knows it.

The best thing an Nvidia Ion platform can do is play 1080p video. A netbook with the Ion platform + bluray player is essentially a home theatre PC in and of itself, that you can also take with you on the go to do regular stuff a normal laptop would accomplish. (Watching bluray on the actual netbook is a waste though, since the screens are no where close to 1920x1080.)

Just don't expect any kind of high end graphics from it, it's not for gaming. Sure it'll 'manage' some games at a passable FPS (very low resolution), but that's about it.

Pretty much says it right there. I have the 945GSE which has its graphics processor clocked at an abysmal 166mhz vs the desktop version of 400mhz. A guy did come out with a program to clock it to 400mhz with little to no effect on battery life or heat output and 99% success rate stability wise... but honestly i saw no reason. theres not much of a point in trying to game on the lil things and you can run any normal video on the netbook screen without probs.

 

[pharoer]

Ion is a marketing name for a mobo chipset with a integrated 9400M(M79) GPU, that's all. Right now it's paired with Atom CPUs but it will also work with Vias in Q4

http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-9400M-G.11949.0.html

 

[nd4spdbh2]

curently the 945GSE and the ICH7 is used in netbooks... the 945GSE uses 6.5watts and 3watts for the ICH7 ... which is less than that of the 9400M chipset but the 9400M has better gfx power. its a give n take.

 

[TommyHolly]

Oh OK... Just an upgrade ONLY for the "Integrated" built-in GPU on low end Mini-Laptops. Gotcha. Thanks!

I just really love the size and weight of my XPS M1330 and was hoping that there would be some serious upgrades coming soon. Right now I have a Core 2 Duo running at 2.4GHz with a Nvidia M8400 GS (I think it's only 128MB??) If I bought a new one right now, the only thing better is a 2.6GHz processor and everything else is the same.

I figured there would be some big improvements by now because I bought my Laptop refurbished (used) from the Dell Outlet about 18 months ago. In all that time all they could improve was just a measley .2GHz upgrade? I was hoping for 3.0GHz Core 2 Duo with at least a 256MB GPU or more.

 

[nd4spdbh2]

ya wait till nelaham cpus get to the laptops.... a laptop with a cpu/imc/igp all on one is so awesome sounding!

 

[Shiggity]

ya wait till nelaham cpus get to the laptops.... a laptop with a cpu/imc/igp all on one is so awesome sounding!

/nod

The mobile i5 chipset is built from the ground up to go with the new kickass i5 mobile procs.

Centrino 3 woo.

 

[TommyHolly]

I've never been impressed with anything with the word "Centrino" on it so far...

But this i5 thing sounds interesting. I've barely heard it mentioned so I think I should look it up so I can tell what you guys are so excited about. (I don't understand the shorthand you wrote.)

 

[nd4spdbh2]

ya next gen laptop platform from intel is gonna kick some serious ***... hell i cant wait till i5 gets out to the desktop its gonna be sweet... no more special chips... the cpu does it all. the cpu becomes the center of everything. ram, i/o controler, onboard gfx processor / direct link to pcie 16x slots all go straight to the cpu.