Graphics come out nForce

Graphics card manufacturer nVidia has unveiled a new range of integrated graphics chips and standalone graphics processing units (GPUs) for PC builders and OEMs

The nForce 400 media and communications processors (MCPs) and GeForce 6100 GPUs have been designed for the AMD64 platform and have already garnered the support of leading motherboard manufacturers including Biostar, Shuttle, Gigabyte, Asustek, Chaintech, ECS, DFI, Epox, Foxconn, Jetway and MSI. nVidia has claimed that the integrated solutions are designed to punch above their entry-level weight and said they are the first motherboard graphics solutions to deliver high-definition (HD) video playback and output to HDTVs.

The firm expects strong take up from the market and said the new products will allow it to build a wider range of systems, from Media Center PCs to small-form factor systems for the small office/home office (SoHo) environment. It will also be able to brand its products with the increasingly important ‘HD-Ready’ logo.

“Over recent years, our discrete nVidia nForce products have redefined the high-end enthusiast space, allowing us a significant market share, but with this new product we are focused on an equally important segment – the integrated mainstream market, serviced most commonly with PC OEMs and system integrators,” said Drew Henry, general manager of platform product at nVidia.

“We are confident that the new nVidia nForce 400 series of MCPs combined with our new GeForce 6100 series of GPUs will provide the only viable foundation for powering today’s digital media and high-definition video-centric PC platforms,” he said.

Emile Ianni, corporate vice president, platform engineering and infrastructure development, micro-processor solutions, AMD, said: “[The releases] showcase nVidia’s commitment to extend to integrated solutions the leading-edge performance previously only available through discrete solutions. We are helping system integrators and OEMs offer their customers AMD64 platforms for a variety of markets, including Media Center PCs, digital media PCs, SoHo and home theatre convergence products.”