Nvidia has introduced a new range of GPUs aimed specifically at the notebook market and already appearing in some laptops. In total there are seven GPUs forming the new GeForce 300M range and offering optimizations for Windows 7.
Usually Nvidia use five categories when talking about its processors including Value, Mainstream, Performance, High Performance, and Enthusiast. For the 300M series, however, only Mainstream, Performance, and High Performance are being used. Here’s the breakdown of where the different GPUs fall within those categories:
- High Performance
- Performance
- Mainstream
The performance of these new GPUs is thought to be very similar to the processors being replaced in the older 200M series. The real differences therefore lie in the support being offered. We’ve already mentioned Windows 7 optimizations which includes GPU powered drag-and-drop transcoding for video as well as GPU-accelerated video and image processing. Nvidia is also talking up the inclusion of PhysX and CUDA support.
The top-of-the-line GPU is the GeForce GTS 360M which has 128 processor cores and can cope with resolutions of up to 1920 x 1080. Expect to see it in high-end performance notebooks shortly.
Toshiba seem to be the first vendor to use the 300M series in their Qosmio range of laptops.
Read more at Laptoping
