CES 2010: Nvidia updates Tegra line

Nvidia promises a tenfold performance increase for its Tegra platform

LAS VEGAS: Nvidia unveiled an overhaul to its Tegra mobile and tablet platform at the Consumer Electronics Show on Thursday.

The new line will sport eight independent processors, and will be the first to feature a dual-core chip in the Cortex A9 processor. Tegra will also offer a tenfold performance increase over the previous line, while requiring just 500mw to operate, the firm said.

Nvidia president and chief executive Jen-Hsun Huang told reporters that the new Tegra line would help to enhance mobile devices and desktop computers.

Huang predicted that mobile devices, particularly tablets, would be able to move far beyond current limitations, and bring a full personal computing experience to users.

"2010 is going to be the beginning of the tablet revolution," he said. "We think that [Tegra] could really make it possible to enjoy computing in all kinds of settings."

Nvidia is also pushing the device as a component for in-car computing systems. Carmaker Audi announced on Thursday that it will use the Tegra platform to power the mapping, navigation and media player functions on all of its models by 2012.

Huang closed his keynote by providing an update on the company's PC graphics card efforts. As with many other vendors at CES, such as Panasonic with its HD 3D standard, and Samsung's plans for 3D TV, Nvidia is pursuing 3D computing through its 3D Vision platform.

One of the components of that platform, the GF100 graphics card, is in the mass production phase and will be able to power up to three screens in full 3D mode, providing an experience Huang described as "3D vision surround".