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Gadgets NVIDIA Launches GoForce 5500
Tuan Nguyen (Blog) - February 13, 2006 3:42 AM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 14 comment(s) - last by CZroe.. on Feb 16 at 3:10 PM
NVIDIA says GoForce 5500 will give high-def video and images, 10 megapixel camera support, and PlayStation-level 3D

NVIDIA today has announced a new addition to its GoForce family of mobility GPUs called the GoForce 5500. Aimed squarely at gamers on the move, the GoForce 5500 brings advanced features that were previously unavailable to the handheld market.  Besting even ATI's top Imageon processors, the GoForce 5500 delivers features not found anywhere else.

The company says that with the GoForce 5500, gamers can experience Quake 3 equal to that of the original PlayStation and even display high-definition resolution (1024x768) on a device such as a cell phone. Considering that most mainstream phones don't even produce resolutions over 320x240, this is an indication that future cell phones will be able to produce images and quality equal to or better than that of Sony's PSP.

GoForce 5500 focuses mainly on video decoding/encoding and 3D acceleration. Bringing a few firsts to the table, NVIDIA says that the GoForce 5500 is the first mobility GPU to be able to playback H.264, WMV9 and MPEG4 (DivX/Xvid) in real time at native DVD resolutions. NVIDIA didn't offer any figures on how games will be running on the new chip but indicated that customers can experience up to 3 times the performance compared to existing 3D accelerated handhelds.

Not to leave digital photography aside, NVIDIA's new GPU also gives us a clue as to where cell phones will be headed in terms of photography features. The GoForce 5500 is designed to handle up to a whopping 10-megapixel image size which is more than twice the resolution needed to print out decent 13"x19" large prints.

NVIDIA states that cell phones and other similarly small devices will be incorporating the new GoForce 5500 and be available for purchase in time for the 2006 holiday season.

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Totally OT, but...
By Lifted on 2/13/2006 10:46:49 AM , Rating: 3
"a whopping 10-megapixel image size which is more than twice the resolution needed to print out decent 13"x19" large prints."

At 300dpi you're looking at 20 megapixels, while 10 megapixels is only 200 dpi which is acceptable. I'm assuming you're reffering to 4 megapixel images as decent at that size, but the 13x17 prints I've made from a 4 megapixel Canon G2 were rather pixelated from less than 2 or 3 feet away. They also just didn't look as sharp next to smaller prints from the same camera when further away. Makes sense since they were only about 127dpi.

I guess I just find it interesting that of all the things you could have said (or not said) about the 10 megapixel feature, you decided on saying that it is twice the resolution needed for those prints, when it's more like only half.




RE: Totally OT, but...
By gcvector on 2/13/2006 11:20:56 AM , Rating: 2
I use to do professional photography and the equipment I used to print out 13"x19" was done using a Canon 1D, which was a 4.3MP (4.1MP effective) professional SLR. And I can vouch for the stunning images that it produced on large prints. ;)


Tuan


RE: Totally OT, but...
By Lifted on 2/13/2006 12:02:24 PM , Rating: 2
I am staring at 2 prints hanging in my cubi now, both 13x19, both printed at 127dpi, both look okay, not great. It doesn't matter what kind of camera you have, 127dpi is 127dpi, and there is no way to make 127dpi look "stunning" that I know of. Slightly pixelated yes, but stunning?


RE: Totally OT, but...
By Tuan Nguyen on 2/13/2006 12:13:15 PM , Rating: 2
Well, you can also run your shots through a stairstep scaling PS action and reprint at 300dpi.


Tuan


RE: Totally OT, but...
By Tuan Nguyen on 2/13/2006 12:23:11 PM , Rating: 2
Also, it does matter what kind of a camera you have. For instance, take the original 10D vs. the 1D. Clearly one has for more pixel resolution than the other, but I can tell you right now that images printed from the 1D produce much more visually engaging results than that of the higher res 10D.

In this case, the larger pixel pitch and sensor size on the 1D gives a perceived image quality that is much better looking than the 10D. I think most pros will agree with me here.

While you are correct in stating that 127dpi is still 127dpi, a lot of other factors go along in producing a visually appealing image. I've looked at a bunch of portfolios from other photographers that have used the 1D vs. something like the D60 or 10D and they immediately tell me what great images the 1D produces.

While I said the 1D 13"x19" images are "stunning", I don't just mean pixel detail. :)


Tuan


RE: Totally OT, but...
By ElFenix on 2/13/2006 12:27:21 PM , Rating: 2
all i know is that the crappy little lenses on cell phones are the real limiting feature.



could the first playstation even play quake3? didn't it come out in 1995? the psx's 3d wasn't exactly all that and a bag of chips. it looked more like it was tacked on as an afterthought more than anything else. remember, it was being designed when motion capture was the wave of the future.


RE: Totally OT, but...
By Meth on 2/15/2006 6:59:56 PM , Rating: 2
The PSone/PSX was crap :| I mean, come on, 32bit? The N64 had double that and is by modern standards.. well.. Rubbish, really :
Doesn't the PSP have GFX similar to the PSone? Because frankly, I think it's crap.

I'm not very impressed by this new chip. Besides, I don't think shooters are appropriate for consoles, let alone handhelds.
Anyway, my box owns the living crap out of most consoles (save for the XboX360, perhaps): FEAR @ 1280x960, everything to it's max -> near-flawless (B&W2 @same->flawless with multiple apps in the background) B)

Gaming is something you do at home or at LAN-parties, not when you're out. If you disagree, get more friends :p


oh the horrible memories
By Donegrim on 2/13/2006 4:58:26 AM , Rating: 2
It's probably quite good, but the name makes me grimace in pain...5500..nooooo




RE: oh the horrible memories
By Griswold on 2/13/2006 5:38:30 AM , Rating: 2
word


RE: oh the horrible memories
By Plasmoid on 2/13/2006 7:12:01 AM , Rating: 2
well at least we can kind of put some fate in this claim by nvidia.... who here actually believes Intel's recent similar announcment... a PDA with Intel graphics that support Shader Model 3, when their desktops dont support it yet.

Im still too knoted from laughing at that to even be worried a memory from the FX days.


Looking Good
By AggressorPrime on 2/13/2006 10:19:29 AM , Rating: 2
Well, this is just a GoForce 5500, not a GoForce FX 5500.
I hope nVidia puts SM 3.0 on their GoForce 6000s. ;)




Sound Anybody?
By blobguy on 2/13/2006 12:39:38 PM , Rating: 2
I think you guys may have missed a minor new feature.
Nvidia's GoForce 5500 will also provide audio support,
looks pretty decent too.

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1926093...




Power Consumption?
By Zoomer on 2/13/2006 9:06:18 PM , Rating: 2
I don't want to start a 3D game, only to have it crap out 10 minutes later on my way to work/school/play.

And unlike a psp, you'll have to do without your phone if it craps out.




Quake 3 is NOT Playstation-class...
By CZroe on 2/16/2006 3:10:59 PM , Rating: 2
Quake 3 was never on PlayStation. The original Quake was and something that wasn't quite Quake 2 were available. Quake 3 is Voodoo 3 - Dreamcast level. The PS2 version is another story...




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