VIA Announces VN896 Chipset

[Anusha]

Low-power chipset for low-power devices with VIA C7-M and Intel Core architecture compatibility

VIA Technologies today announced its latest VN896 chipset tweaked for low-power devices such as notebooks and UMPCs. The new VN896 features VIA C7-M and Intel Core architecture processor support with a DirectX 9.0 compatible integrated graphics core.

Delivering DirectX 9.0 capable graphics is the VIA Chrome9 HC integrated graphics core that previously made its debut in the VIA P4M900. Although the integrated graphics core is DirectX 9.0 capable, Microsoft only certifies the VN896 as being Vista Basic ready strangely. Nevertheless, the Chrome9 HC integrated graphics core features VIAs Chromotion video engine that provides hardware accelerated MPEG2 video decoding and adaptive de-interlacing.

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/7631/3685largevn896blkdiagra0gh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Other notable features of the integrated Chrome9 HC integrated graphics core include multiple display support. LCD, CRT and TV-outputs are available with high definition resolutions up to 1080i. The integrated Chrome9 HC can also drive two independent display devices as well. Integrated graphics aside, the VN896 also features 17-PCIe lanes configurable for one PCIe x16 port and one PCIe x1 port for external graphics processors or PCIe peripherals.

Memory support with the VN896 is quite flexible with DDR2-667/533/400 and DDR-400/333 compatibility. As with other VIA chipsets the VN896 pairs nicely with the VIA VT8237A and VT8237R Plus south bridges via VIA’s proprietary V-Link interconnect.

[zCexVe]

VIA is going into the dark in last years with some bad chips and low performance chips.Nvidia and ATI hurt them lot.Hope this will do something for them.

[Novindu]

Dx 9?? but its now a bit old ne...y do dey din design it for dx 10??:confused:

[Anusha]

VIA is going into the dark in last years with some bad chips and low performance chips.Nvidia and ATI hurt them lot.Hope this will do something for them.
I doubt it. If anything comes into action, it will be the low power consumption.

[Anusha]

Dx 9?? but its now a bit old ne...y do dey din design it for dx 10??:confused:
Laptops are never meant for gaming, so it doesn't really matter. But it would have been a bonus. :yes:

[Novindu]

Laptops are never meant for gaming, so it doesn't really matter. But it would have been a bonus. :yes:
hmmm now i get it;);) but den y do we need C2d in lap???

[Anusha]

hmmm now i get it;);) but den y do we need C2d in lap???
It's not the same Core 2 Duo we get in the Desktops that we see in the Laptops. They are a bit slower, and tweaked for lower power consumption.

The thing is, the power consumption difference between the single core variant and the dual core variant of Core architecture is insignificant. On the other hand, the performance boost your get from moving to dual core could be substantial. So Core 2 Duo (or even the previous Core Duo) are better options than the single core variants of the Core architecture. It's all about striking the balance.

On a side note, the nForce 680i chipset alone uses more power than a Core 2 Duo E6300. IMHO, that's insane, even if you don't care about the power consumption.