Intel rips into NVIDIA's Ion platform
By Donald Melanson 
posted February 24th 2009 12:56PM
posted February 24th 2009 12:56PM
Intel and NVIDIA aren't exactly hiding their differences with each other these days, and it doesn't look like that's about to change anytime soon, especially when it comes to NVIDIA's turf-encroaching Ion platform. According to a document apparently now making the rounds in some circles, Intel not only says that NVIDIA is simply reusing an integrated graphics chipset designed laptops and desktops, which will "in turn leads to higher costs as well as high power consumption," but that NVIDIA is overstating interest in Ion from OEMs, saying that "as of this writing, no customer has publicly disclosed plans to design Ion-based products." Intel reportedly further goes on to say that "NVIDIA's Ion HD playback may not be as good as NVIDIA claims," and even if Ion is more powerful, "neither gaming nor video transcoding are relevant to netbook and nettop users." As if that wasn't enough, Intel closes things out by saying that since it'll be releasing its own update platform by the end of the year, "the window of opportunity for Ion is very short." Of course, there's still no indication that any of this will lead to a hard break between Intel and NVIDIA, although NVIDIA does at least now have VIA to fall back on.
I'm typing on a netbook now. Of course, we netbook users care about video and games. They're the only issues keeping me from buying netbooks to replace my kids' laptops.
Intel's just worried that if someone produces a cheaper option, more of us will buy netbooks or their desktop equivalent and it'll cut into Intel's more profitable lines. False, self-serving claims if I've ever heard them.
wha? you mean me dont wishes to play a round or 2 of battlefield heroes on my netbook whilst at work? intel has got it all wrong here..just because they wont man up and admit their gpu wing is in the pits doesn't mean they have to go around hatin on everyone else
I just want a nice setup for XBMC and OTA-DVR-ing... I was gonna build one out of a fragbox knockoff case... But im just holding off on this sucker... It's a nice size, the GPU is sick-nasty, and can do a lot more than a mac-mini...
BOOM headshot...
That + this keyboard
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard/devices/3848&cl=us,en
SEEEExxxyyyyyy...
Ohhh yeah. They will make quite the pair. Totally agree. :)
Why does everyone want good graphics on the ATOM platform? It wasn't designed for it. From the reviews I've read of the ION platform, it's limited by the CPU. You don't even get the full power of the GPU at your disposal.
If you want decent graphics in a small package, get a 13" laptop with discrete graphics (like I do) and be done with it. I also have a netbook, which gives me great battery life and even more portability than the laptop. Get for flights and long drives. Everything has it's place. You don't haul a boat with a Honda Civic, you use a truck.
The ATOM isn't the bottleneck if the GPU is working. I want to build a low power STB to playback HD video on my TV. I do not want to have to do it with a high powered box that sux a ton of juice and empties my wallet. The ION, with GPU acceleration, shopuld be capable of doing just exactly that. XBMC and MythTV folks will be all over this little box if someone produces it. While it might be nice in a netbook I want it in a small form factor for home use. ATOM works for that right now actually - until you try to play High Def video - then it sux. The NVIDIA chipset solves that when paired with good drivers on Linux...
I think most people just want HD playback, particularly if they can output 1080P video to an HDTV. Also, basic graphics acceleration for things like Flash 10 and mild gaming doesn't hurt...
I would like to publicly state that the reason I didn't buy a netbook in January is the announcement of the Ion platform. I have decided to be firm and will not buy a netbook (or laptop) with integrated and ancient Intel graphics (which is a very old, inefficient desktop part, by the way).
Until something good enough comes along like the Ion, they're not making a sale. The Ion is the most exciting thing to happen since the first netbook came along and I expect it will revolutionize the market and make all existing 'books obsolete.
There. Is that public enough of an opinion? :D
Please make a chipset that doesn't suck to go along with the Atom, Intel. Competition is good.
Seems to be that all netbooks need to replace notebook for 90% of people out there is the ability to play HD video and play some games. If the GPU goes into a low power state when it's not being heavily used, the battery life should be the same as a non-ION netbook.
Looks to me like Intel is running scared and spreading FUD to protect their monopoly. Sounds like Microsoft ten years ago.
Or Intel 10 years ago when they realized that people were switching to AMD.
I would like to see a combination of nVidia's Ion-platform with the Dual-Core VIA nano chip. It would be a great combination in a netbook, especially if it came with a 8-10in screen.
....Yeah..absolutely no one who buys a netbook would want to play games or watch movies on it...no...never...that would never appeal to the millions of gamers out there who would purchase a netbook for the sole reason of portable gaming with great battery life....no...why would anyone like that? INTEL ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FREAKING MIND? wow...
Intel, if you have something to compete than lets see it, if not, STFU!
I want to play games and watch HD movies on a nettop! Is intel kidding? Doesn't need to play Crysis...but it would be nice for bumming around the house and on airplanes. GMA 950 is never a good solution anymore.
I love Intel, but sometimes they say and do the craziest things.
Translation: Intel GPUs suck, their ATOM solution sucks. They are scared of ION.
They should be. I have used it. I've seen Windows 7 Media Center kick ass on this little box. Something Intel just cannot do. It may just be nvidia recycling some laptop chipset technology, but that solution is superior to the loaf Intel is pinching out. Intel should be ashamed that the premier Atom application is being provided by nvidia. And they are. So they FUD it up.
Intel: single channel DDR2 limited to 1GB
NVIDIA: dual channel, 2GB
Intel: shit graphics that barely plays video.
NVIDIA: PureVideo HD with full H.264 decode support.
Intel is also pricing the Atom such that buying just the CPU is very expensive compared to the CPU with their own chipset. Even so, OEMs are going to build ION anyway. Because it is awesome.
I'll build em, come on. Even though i love intel (7billion from one company is economic stimulus) anyway, i'd totally build to sell these. Nvidia, drop me an email, and we'll talk.
Intel own Nvidia and AMD. No-one can make chips as cool and powerful as Intel. AMD make the crappiest garbation imaginable, that leads to overheating hairdryer PCs that die in months. Nvidia totally dropped the ball with the 8600 fiasco - they got caught with their pants down and have been shamed into total humiliation. Only Intel remain, much like Microsoft - kings of the hill, the big boys that laugh at the weakling try-hards, as it was it ever shall be AMEN.
How many times have we seen intel try and dive into the graphics market, only to find that their "solution" is the weakest thing out there and totally unsuitable for anything? Their proclamations of what users don't want harks back the the "640K should be enough memory for anybody" days. Just because it's currently painful to watch HD video on a netbook doesn't mean users don't WANT to do it, the only thing stopping them is intel's lousy implementation. Face it, 95% of the places folks currently take a laptop, they could get by with a netbook, provided it actually could do what they wanted. Small and light enough to go just about anywhere, large enough screen to actually watch video and surf the net on, but intel just doesn't get it.
I'e got that on my XBMC setup running Linux. It's pretty sweet for when you need a keyboard and don't want a full sized one laying around the living room. A bit of a PITA to setup in Linux but doable and worth it. Great battery life too!
Intel are really starting to piss me off.
;'(
Why can't my fave two companies get along :(.
Don't you find it ironic that the original purpose of HD was to sell us new large screen TVs and an expensive new movie collection (a questionable goal in the first place), and now people are bitching that they can't play those HD movies on an 9-inch screen? If you want to play BD rips on a shitty netbook display, you have serious issues. DVD rips are good enough for my 36 inch, but not for your crappy netbook? Give me a break.
Let me introduce you to the world of "external screens" ....
Wait a minute, isn't Intel's 945GC chipset just a repurposed chipset that they used because it was cheaper than engineering something specific for Atom, and that this chipset uses at least as much power as the processor itself?
That Nvidia is just reusing an existing integrated graphics solution rings a bit hollow.
"neither gaming nor video transcoding are relevant to netbook and nettop users."
Those were my thoughts exactly when I first saw the Ion platform.