Thanks to the netbook platform’s affordability and high portability, last year saw a large influx of affordable systems running on Intel’s latest low-cost, low-power Atom processor. So what’s on tap for this year? Try “more powerful netbooks”.
NVIDIA recently showed off the capabilities of their new Ion Platform during the CES show by playing smooth 1080p HD video on a 50-inch display… from a tiny, palm-sized PC.
This is all made possible by NVIDIA’s new ION platform, which was designed to supercharge Intel Atom systems by replacing the usual integrated Intel 945G chipset with a GeForce 9400M graphics chip (the same GPU found inside Apple’s new MacBook line). While the Atom and i945G combination worked well enough for doing everyday tasks, it still fell short on a few critical elements of modern personal computing: HD video playback and 3D gaming.
.jpg "NVIDIA powers the Atom with an ION NVIDIA%20ION%20(2)")
The addition of the GeForce 9400GM GPU fixes these issues, allowing the system to decode HD video and render 3D with minimum effect on battery life. Moreover, the ION platform doesn’t compromise the Atom’s compact form factors—in fact, the initial reference boards show that they’re even more compact than what’s on the current crop of Atom+945G kits.
That means you could play high-def movies and better 3D games (NVIDIA lists Call of Duty 4, The Sims 2, World of Warcraft and Spore among the supported games) from netbooks and low-cost desktops when these new systems come out by summer, 2009.
