Eurocom leaks out first GeForce 400M chipset
updated 10:15 am EDT, Sun May 2, 2010
GeForce GTX 480M shows up in pro notebook
Eurocom inadvertently spoiled NVIDIA's mobile graphics plans today through the description of its X8100 Leopard mobile workstation notebook. The system now has the option of a GeForce GTX 480M that would presumably replace the 280M as NVIDIA's fastest notebook graphics. It doesn't appear to be a typo as it's described using the Fermi architecture, a much larger 2GB of video memory on one chip, and the newer 40 nanometer process used on newer GeForce chipsets.
If accurately described, the 480M may be extremely power hungry as Eurocom references a 100W power draw. Whether that refers to the total power consumption of the system or just the graphics core isn't evident.
The PC builder states directly that it expects the new hardware to be available in June and may have provided a clue as to the broader launch. NVIDIA has usually followed a pattern of launching only one or two high-end notebook graphics chipsets at first and following these up with lower-powered chipsets a few months once the design is efficient enough to fit into thin-and-light notebooks. [via Engadget]
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2010
So what...
--it's not like Apple is going to put this in one of their portables anytime soon.
Jobs seems pretty committed to keeping things as they are in the lineup.