It looks like the first devices built around NVIDIA’s new ION platform are expected to launch by June. The ION platform bundles an Intel Atom CPU with an NVIDIA GeForce 9400M GPU to offer enhanced graphics performance for low powered computers. In other words, you should be able to watch 1080p videos, and perform graphics intensive tasks like transcoding video or playing some newer video games.

Eventually it’s possible that the NVIDIA ION platform will show up in mini-laptops, but it looks like the first computers utilizing this technology will be nettops, or small, low power desktop computers.

NVIDIA hasn’t named the manufacturer working on the new devices. But if it turns out that the nettop maker is a company like Asus, MSI, HP, or Dell, which also has a line of netbooks, perhaps the first nettop could be a sign of things to come.

via Eee PC.net

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9 replies on “First NVIDIA ION-powered PC to launch before summer”

  2. my money is on an apple tiny desktop for these things. I know that everyone seems to make crazy apple rumours all the time and then gets disappointed. But I really think this fits in with the lack of mac mini updates, the talk of mac integrated TVs, and their lack of movement in these new mobile technologies. I don’t see them doing a netbook any time soon, they have enough useful different laptop models already. But a new media entertainment computer, replacing the mac mini and the apple tv I can see with this hardware.

  3. It will be a terrible waste if these, like all other netbooks to date, don’t sport a TV-Out.

  4. Still waiting for someone to build a cheap htpc. This could be the heart of it. Add Mythtv and you are good to go. should fit in a standard DVD player size case.

  5. This new fever of putting graphic processors in the processor reminds me a few years ago (a lot of years, to be accurate) when the processors don’t have numerical coprocessor (386 SX) and processor with numerical coprocessor (386DX).
    Put the damn thing in the processor and stop making so much marketing manouvers!!

  6. I don’t know if other people tested 1080p on OSX86 netbook ( Advent 4211 + 2Gb Ram ) but Quicktime plays 1080p video almost perfectly. In fact I was quite surprised : no slowdowns nor freezes to be reported.

    I heard Atom + GMA could play 720p, but i’ve never heard it could manage 1080p before. On the other hand, youtube HD, and HD FLV in general, is catastrophic. Flash integration on Mac has been pathetic for years, and I was quite impressed to point out “optimization” is still Adobe’s trademark.

    I ran different video files you can found on the internet and I made a video which will be available on youtube soon. But Atom and GMA play 1080p from “Apple Trailers site” via Quicktime pretty smoothly. I don’t know whether this is a perf, so I ask to those who know?.

  7. I think NVIDIA is nuts. The nettop box market isn’t doing much better then the broader market right? So why not put your chip where things are selling. Even if the netbook that comes out costs $600 instead of $500 it would still likely sell better.

    Then again this is just the first product to hit market maybe the next on will be a netbook. But if you ask me NVIDIA needs to sign an agreement with HP, Samsung, Dell, or Lenovo as soon as they can. Get a netbook out there, get some of these in peoples hands, and get the ION product as the name people know like Intel Atom.

    1. Agreed. I don’t know a single person with a nettop, but am waiting to buy my second netbook, and know a bunch of people with them. I can’t imagine that the nettop market is anywhere near the size of the netbook market – this seems an odd decision.

      Of course I say this more out of frustration, as I’m ready to buy now, but waiting to see what happens over the next couple of months. I’d hate to buy now only to have ION netbooks become available shortly thereafter.

      I’m almost tempted to buy an Asus N10, and would do so if it were netbook sized.

      1. Based on the news here, I’d say you should go ahead and get yourself a netbook now. If it’ll be 3-4 months before we get anything ION at all (and those will be nettops), then it will probably be 5-6 months before we see any ION netbooks (if not longer). This is technology, so you’ll always play the waiting game. IMHO, 6 months is a long time to be waiting for something. And once those hit, Intel will announce a faster/lower power chip. Lather, rinse, repeat.

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