CeBIT 2010: Nvidia shows off ION 2 Platform

Nvidia has finally unveiled its next generation Nvidia ION 2 graphics solution for the netbook and desktop platform at CeBIT 2010 convention in Hanover, Germany. The new Nvidia ION is dubbed as next-generation ION graphics and here, we shall refer as ION 2 just to avoid any confusion. This next generation ION graphics platform will work in harmony with the recently announced Intel Pineview N450 processor. Boasting of the freshly announced Nvidia Optimus technology, the ION 2 promises up to 10 hours of battery life.

Dubbed as next generation Nvidia ION graphics processor, the chip comes with up to 16 CUDA cores. Nvidia claims that ION 2 graphics processor performs 10 times faster than the graphics of standard netbooks. As anticipated last year, Nvidia ION 2 will support Intel Pineview N450 processor and Optimus technology will enable switching between ION and GMA 3150 when required. Obviously, the 1080p HD support is there but along comes SD and HD hardware video decode acceleration. This will compete with the Broadcom HD chip solution that Intel has been pushing to all the early Pine Trail based netbooks.

Apart from that, Nvidia ION supports Windows 7 Home Premium operating system. This ION 2 supports DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL 3.1 along with HD audio. For desktops, ION 2 supports multi-monitor support with Dual-link DVI, DisplayPort, HDMI and VGA ports. Doesn't it remind you of ATI Eyefinity multi-monitor technology that comes with Radeon HD 5000 series graphics? For netbooks, ION 2 supports HDMI display connectors.

As against ION 2, which offers battery life of up to 10 hours, Intel's Pine Trail platform offers 10 hours or more of battery life for netbooks. Again, the thermal design power ratings of ION 2 aren't available as yet, so we can't compare both these solutions as of now.

So far, Acer Aspire One 532G and ASUS Eee PC 1201PN are the netbooks clad with ION 2 while desktops includeAsus EeeTop 2010PNT, Asus EeeBox 1501P, Lenovo C200 and Zotac ZBOX.