Nvidia has unveiled its next-generation Ion graphics processor for netbooks.
The advanced Ion GPU is expected to “supercharge” netbook systems with a 10x graphics boost and enable up to 10 hours of battery life with Nvidia’s recently unveiled Optimus technology.
“The new Ion graphics processing unit (GPU) vastly outperforms basic netbook graphics by delivering rich HD media in games, movies, and Internet-based video,” Nvidia explained in an official statement.
“It’s a discrete GPU with dedicated memory that attaches to an Intel Atom Pine Trail CPU via PCI Express. [But], unlike netbooks with [just] Intel integrated graphics, Ion netbooks have the power to play amazing HD video smoothly from sites like YouTube and support popular PC games like World of Warcraft.”
Over 30 products featuring the new Ion GPU are expected to launch by this summer, such as netbooks, small form factor desktops, “barebones” systems, motherboards and discrete add-in cards.
For example, the Acer Aspire One 532G (10-inch) and ASUS 1201PN (12-inch) are slated to be the first next-gen Ion netbooks on the market.
In addition, new all-in-one PCs powered by the Ion 2 will include the ASUS EeeTop 2010PNT and Lenovo C200.
Finally, a number of channel partners – including AOpen, AsRock, Asus, Foxconn, Giada, J&W, Jetway, Pegatron, POV, Shuttle, and Zotac – also plan on introducing new Ion-based products in the near future.
