Chip Transition Opens Door For NVIDIA Ion

It's pretty obvious that NVIDIA understands the opportunity that's in front of them, but just in case anyone is oblivious, Research and Markets is making sure the point is clear. With the CPU becoming less and less important (and the GPU, hardware encoders and broadband speeds gaining in importance), there's a huge opening for fringe processing companies such as ATI and NVIDIA to really capitalize in areas where Intel and AMD have longed dominated.

The report states that at least three things are happening at the same time:

• Most growth in computing is in the mobile space (Apple iPhones, Laptops, Netbooks, etc.)
• Visual or 3D computing is becoming a mainstream feature and not just for games and Second Life
• Sophisticated computing effects from the gaming space are starting to show up as standard features in consumer and business software. These tap into the spare power available in the GPU.

Noticeably, the most important thing for NVIDIA to focus on is that ultra-powerful CPUs are no longer as necessary in the consumer realm. We've already seen NVIDIA angle its way into the limelight with Ion, and Intel's hoping to maintain position with Larrabee. As for us? We're excited to be on the sidelines. For years now, Intel really hasn't had to compete with AMD. Honestly, it was never a fair fight. With NVIDIA stepping up to the plate, however, we're finally seeing Intel on edge, and we suspect that the outcome will be more innovative products emerging from both companies. A new war is waging on the processor front, and it's not regarding the traditional CPU; the chip that defines the next decade will likely be a conglomerate that's more of a "jack of all trades" than a "master of one." Game on, NVIDIA.