PowerVR getting back into the desktop space?

[ANova]

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=33240

 

[Mat3]

Exciting stuff. But I'm sure I speak for everyone here when I say I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Fox5]

Given the tons of expensive ram current graphics cards are using, PowerVR could potentially be competitive, even if their main chip costs more, just by using cheaper ram. They'd also be a good choice for integrated graphics using system ram. (or a pci express card using system ram? I'd imagine a tbdr linked to the 12.8GB/s main memory could get decent performance)

Their series 5 cores (SGX) are pretty fully featured too, if they could scale up performance they'd be good to go.
They also just opened a US division, though it looks to be aiming still towards integrated stuff.

 

[Lazy8s]

If chip companies or graphics rivals aren't trying to buy Imgtec, the chip companies are probably at least trying to partner with them.

 

[amk]

http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31005

Thoughts:

1. Intel has licenced SGX
2. Intel has sold off its XScale business

Some commentators see 2. as an Intel retreat from the handheld market, some see 2. as meaning that Intel intends to target x86 cores for said market. It'll be a pause for Intel in that market at the least I expect.

Speculative conclusion: Intel's SGX licence is unlikely to be used for handheld/embedded 3D.

 

[Lazy8s]

The PC business of Intel definitely fits the market opportunities at which Imgtec is hinting.

Intel eagerly licensed SGX over a year before PowerVR delivered the IP cores for some of the first implementations, and PowerVR has had silicon prototypes of SGX for many months now. Their roadmap lists car navigation and high-performance portable cores as the first target markets of SGX, however.

 

[Killer-Kris]

They also just opened a US division, though it looks to be aiming still towards integrated stuff.

I haven't heard this, any word on where it's at?!


Edit: Actually I've found the press release giving the details http://www.imgtec.com/News/Release/index.asp?ID=632 It's too bad it's in San Diego, I was hoping for something in the Northwest.

 

[Killer-Kris]

Thoughts:

1. Intel has licenced SGX
2. Intel has sold off its XScale business

... some see 2. as meaning that Intel intends to target x86 cores for said market.

I've been told that on an occasion or two.

 

[tangey]

it seems that the enquirer is sticking with this story and is saying that intels G965 chipset is PowerVR SGX
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=33318