NVIDIA ION graphics processors turn up the visuals on compact, low-power PCs with performance up to 10X faster than similar systems. When combined with a low-power CPU like Intel Atom, ION graphics processors transform traditional under-performing PC designs into a premium experience.

Form Factor Possibilities: Full-size Notebooks, Small Form Factor Desktops, All-in-ones, Netbooks. The small form factor Ion-based computers were released in the early summer of 2009. It was originally believed to be unlikely that Ion systems would ever enter into mass production and were thus unlikely to pose a serious rival to Intel's own chipsets for the Atom platform, due to Intel's unwillingness to supply Atom processors separate from the 945GSE and 945GC chipsets with which the CPUs are usually supplied. While manufacturers could still buy an Atom-plus-chipset package and remove the CPU for use on a Ion board, it hardly seems likely given the costs involved, especially given the low-cost leanings of the nettop and netbook market. However, Intel later denied those claims, and a spokesperson for Intel said Intel sells Atom as a stand-alone processor.

NVIDIA has announced that it will also release the Ion platform for the VIA Nano processor some time in Q4 2009.


Key Benefits

• Premium DirectX 10 graphics with advanced digital display connectivity
• Full 1080p HD video with true-fidelity 7.1 audio
• NVIDIA CUDA technology to accelerate the most demanding applications, vastly improving your
  PC’s ability to work with visual content such as video encoding
• Premium Windows experience with Windows Vista and Windows 7

ION for Netbooks features

• 10x faster graphics and video transcoding 2
• Full HD video decode and display
• Windows Vista Premium and Windows 7 ready

ION-based Netbooks

HP Mini 311-1000NR 11.6-Inch Black Netbook  - Up to 6.25 Hours of Battery Life - $399.99
HP Mini 311-1025NR 11.6-Inch Black Netbook - Up to 6.25 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) - $499.00
Asus Eee PC 1201N-PU17-BK 12.1-Inch Intel Atom 330/2GB/250GB/W7HP Netbook Computer (Black) - $484.00
Samsung N510 Series Netbook (Black)  - $596.68
Point of View Mobii Ion 10.2" Netbook - $399.99 / $479.99
Lenovo IdeaPad S12 (29595DU) Black Intel Atom N270 12.1" WXGA 2GB Memory 250GB HDD Netbook - Windows 7 Home Premium - $539.99
Lenovo IdeaPad S12 (29595EU) White Intel Atom N270 12.1" WXGA 2GB Memory 250GB HDD Netbook - Windows 7 Home Premium - $539.99