Intel may integrate PowerVR GPU into next Atom

While AMD has been successful with its Fusion lineup of accelerated processing units, Intel currently offers nothing quite as similar in the low-voltage, power-conscious processor market. However, new rumors are suggesting that Intel may be incorporating something analogous in its future Atom processors.

According to VR-Zone, Intel’s next generation of Atom (Cedarview) will reportedly integrate an SGX545 graphics core from PowerVR into the same chipset. If true, this would mark the first time that the Atom series will carry an on-die GPU outside of Intel’s own GMA series of integrated graphics. The supposedly leaked slide further details the GPU, including a GPU speed of 400 or 640MHz, support for DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL 3.0, and a performance target of up to twice that of the current Pine Trail platform. The integrated GPU would also allow for many of the same benefits as AMD’s Fusion APU, including hardware video acceleration and decoder support for MPEG-2 and H.264, to name a few.

While the SGX545 isn’t exactly high-end, as noted by VR-Zone, it is still expected to be just as capable as the graphics performance of the iPad 2, if not more so, as the Apple tablet itself sports an SGX543 core. PowerVR graphics have not been common amongst laptops but are seeing increased usage in other mobile platforms, such as the popular Samsung Galaxy S smartphones and even in Sony’s upcoming NGP handheld. In fact, the latter is expected to carry a quad-core version of the SGX543, and has been shown to be more than capable for rendering 3D graphics.

The Intel Cedarview platform is anticipated for a late 2011 release.

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