Intel Plans to Integrate Graphics onto New Atom CPU

[alexp999]

According to VRZone, Intel is planning to launch the next generation of Atom CPU's in Q4 2009 with a 45nm single core version, codenamed Pineview, a dual core CPU will shortly follow in Q1 2010. It seems Intel are gearing up to a single chip solution and with this particular generation of Atom, the CPU will be joined by the IGP and memory controller and is based on Lincroft Architecture. There also appears to be a new southbridge in the works to accompany this new chip. No longer do we have ICH-XX variants, but instead this new piece of silicon has been called Tiger Point. Between the two the platform will be known as the Pine Trail-D and will support memory speeds of upto 800Mhz DDR2. Intel claims there will be a 70% reduction in total kit package size and a 50% reduction in total kit TDP.


Source: VRZone

[KBD]

i think this is very interesting news. looks like Intel will be the first to merge CPU and IGP and IMC, i thought AMD would be the first with their Fusion thing.

[ShadowFold]

Originally Posted by KBD

i think this is very interesting news. looks like Intel will be the first to merge CPU and IGP and IMC, i thought AMD would be the first with their Fusion thing.

Fusion is something completely different

[KBD]

Originally Posted by ShadowFold

Fusion is something completely different

i thought they were going to do CPU/GPU combo also? oh well, better read up on it i guess.

[kid41212003]

Originally Posted by ShadowFold

Fusion is something completely different

I saw in one of AMD's roadmap, there was a chip with code name Fusion, which suppose to have gpu+cpu on a same chip package.

[DrPepper]

Originally Posted by kid41212003

I saw in one of AMD's roadmap, there was a chip with code name Fusion, which suppose to have gpu+cpu on a same chip package.

I thought it was a cpu/gpu as well.

[newtekie1]

A 50% reduction in TDP is very good for the Atom package. Too bad the IGP will likely suck...hard.

[kid41212003]

Originally Posted by newtekie1

A 50% reduction in TDP is very good for the Atom package. Too bad the IGP will likely suck...hard.

I don't think it will be suck hard, no one use the Atom for heavily 3d rendering anyway .

[alexp999]

Originally Posted by newtekie1

A 50% reduction in TDP is very good for the Atom package. Too bad the IGP will likely suck...hard.

Its taking over from the 945GC which is fine for Vista and running internet/office etc.
You wouldnt buy an atom setup to play the latest 3d games on, lol.

[DaJMasta]

Originally Posted by newtekie1

A 50% reduction in TDP is very good for the Atom package. Too bad the IGP will likely suck...hard.

My guess is it will at least be updated..... but the new memory controller should open up the bandwidth and give a gma950 equivalent core a little more zip.

I'm surprised how late it will enter the arena though, especially with AMD and nVidia vying to get their parts onto the market.

[newtekie1]

I know what the current chipset is capable of, I own an EeePC, however it is very lacking. Especially compared to the other possibilities. The nVidia chipset for Atom destroys the 945GS, with the same power characteristics. I would like to see something that is at least capable of playing some light weight 3D games. With the current chipset, CS:S on all Low is too much for it...

[alexp999]

Originally Posted by newtekie1

I know what the current chipset is capable of, I own an EeePC, however it is very lacking. Especially compared to the other possibilities. The nVidia chipset for Atom destroys the 945GS, with the same power characteristics. I would like to see something that is at least capable of playing some light weight 3D games. With the current chipset, CS:S on all Low is too much for it...

True, but I would rather have energy effeciency over computing power, I would love a notebook that actually has a decent battery life.
Maybe they need to reduce the amount of desktop chipsets they do and increase the number of mobile ones.

[AlCabone]

According to VRZone, Intel is planning to launch the next generation of Atom CPU's in Q4 2009 with a 45nm single core version

On the second picture it says the dual core one will be launched this year, unless DC means single core and SC dual core .

[DanTheBanjoman]

Originally Posted by KBD

i think this is very interesting news. looks like Intel will be the first to merge CPU and IGP and IMC, i thought AMD would be the first with their Fusion thing.

MediaGX.

[alexp999]

Originally Posted by AlCabone

On the second picture it says the dual core one will be launched this year, unless DC means single core and SC dual core .

I saw that too, but I'm going by VRZone's report.

[newtekie1]

Originally Posted by alexp999

True, but I would rather have energy effeciency over computing power, I would love a notebook that actually has a decent battery life.
Maybe they need to reduce the amount of desktop chipsets they do and increase the number of mobile ones.

I agree, battery life is important. However, there is no reason we can't have battery life AND decent performance.

[alexp999]

Originally Posted by newtekie1

I agree, battery life is important. However, there is no reason we can't have battery life AND decent performance.

True but it must be like balancing on a knife edge to a certain extent. People want value for money, size, performance and battery life.
I agree with what your saying, but if we could only pick one, I think they need to give us some laptops that only need charging daily based on a regular use.
Maybe some day, it will be like mobile phones where we onlh have to charge them every week or so!

[kid41212003]

I don't even play games on laptop.

There is no reason for me to play any 3d games on an Atom, or an Mobile platform.

I hate playing games on small screen, and small keyboards.

[newtekie1]

Originally Posted by alexp999

True but it must be like balancing on a knife edge to a certain extent. People want value for money, size, performance and battery life.
I agree with what your saying, but if we could only pick one, I think they need to give us some laptops that only need charging daily based on a regular use.
Maybe some day, it will be like mobile phones where we onlh have to charge them every week or so!

To a certain extent. However, with some decent engineering, there is no reason we can't have decent performance with the same energy and heat envolope. Intel's IGPs are just crap, they suck at designing them. That is evident by the current chipset vs. nVidia's alternative. The 9400m runs circles around the GMA950, in the same TDP envolope.

Originally Posted by kid41212003

I don't even play games on laptop.

There is no reason for me to play any 3d games on an Atom, or an Mobile platform.

I hate playing games on small screen, and small keyboards.

We aren't just talking about laptops here. Atom is a low power solution designed for both laptops and desktops(netbooks and nettops). They can make very decent, very cheap, media/HTPCs. It would be nice to be able to play some games on them from time to time, especially if you travel.

[KieranD]

so they are incorporating the north bridge into the cpu now?

we dont need high end graphics on a web browser machine hell most of these will be using linux

if they can run movies that would be a great thing for atom

these are office clients and net-tops


cpus should only include gpus when it is for low end or portable pcs like pamtops and laptops, or they will have to bring our different versions of cpus for example if you want to get a new mobo you get a new northbridge with it like a higer end mobo might have a different northbridge/igp now they might have to say bring out 2 versions of the same cpu

[KBD]

Originally Posted by DanTheBanjoman

MediaGX.

darn, i forgot about those, that was so long ago. didnt that arch wind up with AMD in the form of the Geode CPU?

[LittleLizard]

if the atom gets an igp, it will consume much more but as it doesnt have the 945gx any more it will use less energy. Greenibox comin

[Katanai]

Originally Posted by kid41212003

I don't even play games on laptop.

There is no reason for me to play any 3d games on an Atom, or an Mobile platform.

I hate playing games on small screen, and small keyboards.

You must have hated the GameBoy back in the days too no? Or how about the PSP, or a controller stuck in a USB port of any laptop like device?

[Jizzler]

Originally Posted by Katanai

You must have hated the GameBoy back in the days too no? Or how about the PSP, or a controller stuck in a USB port of any laptop like device?

Super Gameboy FTW!

[DaJMasta]

Originally Posted by newtekie1

I know what the current chipset is capable of, I own an EeePC, however it is very lacking. Especially compared to the other possibilities. The nVidia chipset for Atom destroys the 945GS, with the same power characteristics. I would like to see something that is at least capable of playing some light weight 3D games. With the current chipset, CS:S on all Low is too much for it...

I don't know, I've got an Atom Eee PC as well and it works just perfectly for net applications, very snappy machine for the basics. While I agree the gaming is limited, I can still run UT99 or KoTOR just fine.... not quite what a better CPU with GMA950 can do but close... but that's not the point. I've had similar problems with CS:S, but I'm convinced that is a driver problem, as the intel GMA drivers only report 24MB of memory usage while playing, and I have seen CS:S run properly on low settings in windowed mode on GMA950.

I think they will update the IGP somewhat, but Intel is not targeting that market, other competitors like AMD and nVidia can do what they do best: graphics. Intel's rework seems to be centered on size and heat characteristics, a great move in my book, with marginal performance games. By finally doing away with the aging 945 chipset, they can probably get the 50% power cut they're claiming, and then because of the smaller 45nm process for the whole system backbone (cpu, northbridge, southbridge) they'll be cutting down the power some more, to be added in later as performance.

While I think everyone agrees that more performance is better, I don't think intel is trying to make a multimedia/gaming platform. They're sticking with the net part of netbook and nettop. Hopefully by modernizing it's components and turning down the power they will get a chip that can be implemented in a lot more applications.... like the dual core version (previously not seen in netbooks because of power requirements) with a 3rd party low-power GPU for the kind of multimedia machine you are looking for.