NVIDIA launch 9-series GeForce IGP and get Macbook deals
Wednesday 15th October 2008, 08:29:00 PM, written by Rys
Yesterday saw the launch of a new round of Macbooks, and with them a new GeForce 9-series IGP from NVIDIA. The chip is brand new silicon, and is also showing up in Intel-based mainboards from a few vendors.
The chip -- as well as integrating a single G92-class SM with high hot clock and surrounding logic for graphics acceleration -- also integrates a new DDR2- and DDR3-capable memory controller, a display controller with an integrated DisplayPort transmitter (as well as TMDS-based outputs like HDMI), 20 lanes of PCIe 2.0 and a 1333MHz-supporting AGTL+ bus to talk to the latest 45nm Intel dual- and quad-core CPUs.
The 1.2GHz hot clock and 580MHz base clock for the range-topping GeForce 9400M gives it impressive on-paper performance, although none of the launch configurations sport dedicated off-chip memory, instead sharing system RAM for framebuffer. Competing solutions from ATI have that support, which definitely helps performance in many situations.
Apple pair the IGP with a discrete GeForce 9600M in the Macbook Pro, the Cupertino-based company forgoing discrete help on the low-end Macbook. Both products continue to have less-than-low-end prices though, especially the Macbook Pro, lessening the appeal of the graphics configuration somewhat. £1700 for the appealing Macbook Pro is crazy for 1440x900 especially. Resolution rant over!
Hybrid SLI and Hybrid Power are supported, although the latter only in select configurations, which seems to hint at its overall popularity in the market.
6 SATA and a GigE MAC round off the notable silicon-level features, although current mainboard designs look a bit silly in places when it comes to the physical placement of the former ports.
Performance is competitive for the most part, the 9400M beating ATI's 780G in gaming usually, and video decode performance is fine, although VC-1 sees continued neglect. In perspective, the gaming performance is actually pretty terrible compared to what even cheap discrete will get you, but it'll drive media centres and notebooks well enough, and squeeze in a little WoW to boot.
The Tech Report took a look at 9400M for launch, and found that while it did well enough, there's a little software-based polish yet to find, both in drivers and the BIOS program, before it truly shines.
Read their impressive analysis for the full tech report.
The chip -- as well as integrating a single G92-class SM with high hot clock and surrounding logic for graphics acceleration -- also integrates a new DDR2- and DDR3-capable memory controller, a display controller with an integrated DisplayPort transmitter (as well as TMDS-based outputs like HDMI), 20 lanes of PCIe 2.0 and a 1333MHz-supporting AGTL+ bus to talk to the latest 45nm Intel dual- and quad-core CPUs.
The 1.2GHz hot clock and 580MHz base clock for the range-topping GeForce 9400M gives it impressive on-paper performance, although none of the launch configurations sport dedicated off-chip memory, instead sharing system RAM for framebuffer. Competing solutions from ATI have that support, which definitely helps performance in many situations.
Apple pair the IGP with a discrete GeForce 9600M in the Macbook Pro, the Cupertino-based company forgoing discrete help on the low-end Macbook. Both products continue to have less-than-low-end prices though, especially the Macbook Pro, lessening the appeal of the graphics configuration somewhat. £1700 for the appealing Macbook Pro is crazy for 1440x900 especially. Resolution rant over!
Hybrid SLI and Hybrid Power are supported, although the latter only in select configurations, which seems to hint at its overall popularity in the market.
6 SATA and a GigE MAC round off the notable silicon-level features, although current mainboard designs look a bit silly in places when it comes to the physical placement of the former ports.
Performance is competitive for the most part, the 9400M beating ATI's 780G in gaming usually, and video decode performance is fine, although VC-1 sees continued neglect. In perspective, the gaming performance is actually pretty terrible compared to what even cheap discrete will get you, but it'll drive media centres and notebooks well enough, and squeeze in a little WoW to boot.
The Tech Report took a look at 9400M for launch, and found that while it did well enough, there's a little software-based polish yet to find, both in drivers and the BIOS program, before it truly shines.
Read their impressive analysis for the full tech report.
Tagging
nvidia ± tech, report, igps, really, suck, new, memory, controller
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Posted by Curt on Sunday, 23-Nov-08 15:25:13 UTC 
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