Intel's GMA X3000: Giving Old IGPs a Run for the Money

Iria

Source: DailyTech
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DailyTech previously reported rough details of the integrated graphics core in the upcoming Intel G965 Express chipset—Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3000. Early roadmaps showed the graphics core as being Microsoft Windows Vista Premium compatible with support for Aero Glass. It was also said the graphics core would have Clear Video Technology to improve video playback.

DailyTech recently had the opportunity to pick apart some of the specifications for Intel's GMA X3000 architecture, and compare it to some of the other architectures available today. Perhaps the largest improvement of GMA X3000 over GMA 950 is the move away from a fixed function pipeline in favor of a programmable pipeline. NVIDIA and ATI abandoned fixed function pipelines in 2001.

Matth

"Intel fast memory access"... wonder if that means it also has the option of a dedicated frame buffer.

I've never been a fan of 100% unified memory, as it makes the screen refresh a drain on main memory bandwith, though perhaps dual-DDR2 can afford it better than older platforms.