Ion Platform

[Wreckage]

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3478



"SFF, Notebooks, Pre-Built/Barebones PCs" is where netbook-related discussions usually end up, and the article in question seems to be about a netbook CPU+GPU platform solution (as opposed to discrete video cards or desktop IGPs).

- AmberClad (Vid Mod)

 

[nosfe]

my only problem with it was nvidia's statement that it eats as much power as the 945G, why so powerhungry?

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: nosfe
my only problem with it was nvidia's statement that it eats as much power as the 945G, why so powerhungry?

Can you be a little more specific? How much power are they supposed to use?

@ OP: Neat stuff. Let me know what you use for your data mining.

 

[thilanliyan]

Will Intel allow it?
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20081217PR209.html

 

[nosfe]

i can't be, that's what the article says

NVIDIA claims that a netbook running with the Ion platform should have the same battery life as one running on the conventional Atom + 945G setup.

 

[Creig]

This thread should be moved to SFF, Notebooks, Pre-Built/Barebones PCs.

 

[Wreckage]

Originally posted by: Creig
This thread should be moved to SFF, Notebooks, Pre-Built/Barebones PCs.

It could go there. The big difference with Ion over the Intel chip is it's better video capabilities. Which may be of more interest here.

 

[Keysplayr]

Yeah, it might be good for both forums. ^

 

[widefault]

Sign me up for a few of the reference boards if they can keep the price near what a Via PicoITX board costs. My current small Atom options are all around $400 and quite a bit larger at 4" x 6"(3.5" Embedded Form Factor). Hell, I could fit two of the reference boards into the space of one of the 3.5" embedded board cases.

 

[videogames101]

I want one of those atom PCs, they look tiny, and well-powered for the size!

 

[PCTC2]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: nosfe
my only problem with it was nvidia's statement that it eats as much power as the 945G, why so powerhungry?

Can you be a little more specific? How much power are they supposed to use?

Remember, it's more closer to a discrete graphics solution than the GMA950 Intel Graphics. The 9400M has more graphics power and uses the same amount of power according to nVIDIA, and this is a good thing.

 

[SickBeast]

Originally posted by: PCTC2

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: nosfe
my only problem with it was nvidia's statement that it eats as much power as the 945G, why so powerhungry?

Can you be a little more specific? How much power are they supposed to use?

Remember, it's more closer to a discrete graphics solution than the GMA950 Intel Graphics. The 9400M has more graphics power and uses the same amount of power according to nVIDIA, and this is a good thing.

I'm pretty sure the Atom uses 4w under load, and the chipset uses 4w as well.

People have always complained about the default Atom 945 chipset, saying that it uses as much or more power than the CPU which makes no sense.

I was under the impression that intel would release a proper chipset, but they never did, probably to avoid cannibalizing sales of the C2D chips.

I'm glad NV got involved here, but I would have preferred a lower power chipset as opposed to a more full-featured one.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: SickBeast
I'm pretty sure the Atom uses 4w under load, and the chipset uses 4w as well.

People have always complained about the default Atom 945 chipset, saying that it uses as much or more power than the CPU which makes no sense.

I was under the impression that intel would release a proper chipset, but they never did,

Intel designed a proper chipset for the Atom called Poulsbo.
Poulsbo: An Unusually Revolutionary Chipset
Highlights:
fewer USB ports
2 channel HD audio
no SATA ports
proprietary low voltage DDR2 RAM
zero legacy interfaces (besides EIDE)
130nm process

Doesn't look that great for a mini ITX board or a netbook, but is probably okay for its intended market, MIDs (mobile internet devices), which are between a cell phone and netbook in size.

The 945GC chipset variant that is usually with an Atom uses more power than the CPU itself. This is plainly evident from the Intel mini ITX boards that use a tiny passive heatsink for the CPU and a bigger fan-cooled heatsink for the chipset. Can't find the numbers right now, but IIRC it was to the order of 20W or something.

As for "making sense" the 945GC was designed a long time ago for desktop use and thus isn't optimized for power draw. Why it is being used with the Atom today is because it is dirt cheap.

 

[SickBeast]

Now they're saying that intel has effectively ki-bashed the Ion:

Fudzilla link but it's confirmed by Digitimes so I'm posting this

That's bad news for NV. I wonder how much the intel chipsets cost in the even they want to just throw them away.

 

[nosfe]

too bad, and it had such a promising future. just goes to show how much intel likes monopolies

 

[ajaidevsingh]

Well if they go back to VIA that is also goood. Nano and 9400 will be more on par and ma perform better in several games!!

 

[BlueAcolyte]

Didn't VIA just come out with their own netbook platform? Trinity or something.