ATI targets ultra-portables and mobile gamers with new GPUs

By Alun Williams

Posted on 25 Nov 2004 at 14:08

Targeting ultra-portable notebooks, ATI has announced a new PCI Express-based graphics processor, the Mobility Radeon x300. At the heavier end of the notebook range, it has also unveiled the Mobility Radeon x800.

For 'thin and light' laptop users, the Mobility Radeon X300 is a four pixel pipeline processor that is designed to combine DirectX 9 support with ATI's PowerPlay PCI Express-based power management features.

By contrast, the PCI Express-based Mobility Radeon X800 is aimed at more serious mobile gamers. Its specification includes 12 pixel pipeline DirectX 9 support, GDDR3 memory for faster access speeds and ATI's 3Dc, which is a compression technology designed to bring out visual details in games while minimising memory usage. With up to 4:1 compression possible, ATI claims, this means game designers can include up to 4x the detail without changing the amount of graphics memory required or impacting performance. There is also SmartShader HD, for high-definition 3D animation, and VideoShader HD, to help accelerate video processing tasks such as noise removal and de-blocking.

'As the mobile market begins the transition to PCI Express, it is imperative that OEM designers have increased choice, flexibility and performance in the design of next-generation notebook PCs,' said Phil Eisler, general manager of ATI's Mobile and Chipset Business Unit.

Expect the GPUs to start appearing from December 2004 onwards, within notebook designs from Alienware, Eurocom and Rock.

You can find more info on the ATI website.