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NVIDIA secures Microsoft buy-in to ION

by Scott Bicheno on 11 February 2009, 15:17

Tags: Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)

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Vista ready

Graphics chip maker NVIDIA will be hoping the securing of Microsoft validation for its ION netbook graphics platform will give it irresistible momentum as it strives for widespread acceptance of it from OEMs and the market in general.

Netbooks have so far been restricted to using Windows XP or Linux as their operating system due to the greater graphical resource requirements of Windows Vista. As a result of this development, NVIDIA says it's: "working with Microsoft, PC manufacturers, software developers, and Windows eco-system partners to bring ION-based PCs to market by summer of 2009."

"What many people call a 'netbook' today is really a small notebook, and users expect it to perform like one," said Mike Ybarra, GM for Windows at Microsoft. "With NVIDIA's ION platform combined with Windows Vista Home Premium, consumers can get an affordable, premium Windows experience in a small notebook or desktop form factor."

NVIDIA is expecting these ION/Vista netbooks to be priced as low as $299. These are the key deliverables of such a system, according to NVIDIA:

  • 1080p high definition video including Blu-ray movies
  • Support for Microsoft's DirectX 10 API
  • Support for premium Windows Vista features including Aero Glass and Flip3D
  • GPU acceleration for faster photo editing and video transcoding

 

HEXUS Forums :: 6 Comments

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Posted by this_is_gav - Wed 11 Feb 2009 16:59
The article
Netbooks have so far been restricted to using Windows XP or Linux as their operating system due to the greater graphical resource requirements of Windows Vista.
It's not the graphical resources which is stopping the majority of netbooks using Vista. It's the same as XP in that respect. It's the performance issues associated with Vista, though I'm sure the bulky nature of the Vista GUI doesn't help either.
Posted by dangel - Wed 11 Feb 2009 17:25
this_is_gav
It's not the graphical resources which is stopping the majority of netbooks using Vista. It's the same as XP in that respect. It's the performance issues associated with Vista, though I'm sure the bulky nature of the Vista GUI doesn't help either.

It's the total memory load, the use of the hard disk (too much of) and the fact that Vista's DWM (the 3d desktop aero enginey fun thing) isn't anywhere as lightweight as Window 7's when it comes to memory use. Vista sucks on old hardware, or low powered hardware (such as netbooks) - Seven does not by comparison.

But you're right - the intel GMA graphics on most netbooks *will* run aero for Vista just fine.
Posted by TAKTAK - Wed 11 Feb 2009 20:27
Hmm, the reason i'm interested in ION is that i want an ITX HTPC…

And ION ticks all of the right boxes…
Posted by pauldarkside - Wed 11 Feb 2009 22:50
TAKTAK
Hmm, the reason i'm interested in ION is that i want an ITX HTPC…

And ION ticks all of the right boxes…

I've thought about one in ITX form but I'm currently set on selling my netbook and replacing it with an ION/Atom version. I'm just hoping there'll be one with either DVI or preferably HDMI connectivity - best of both worlds then.
Posted by spraint - Thu 12 Feb 2009 08:37
First ION machines are due in the spring, but at $299 for the lowest desktop config, not really that competitive IMHO. As for netbooks, Intel's Arrendale chip looks to have that sown up, unless VIA can improve efficiency with its Nano.

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