DailyTech recently come across a recent Intel roadmap that reveals details on the next generation integrated graphics core through 2007 until the launch of Bearlake. The graphics core will be integrated in the upcoming G965 chipset that is part of the 96x family. The roadmap shows the graphics core will be Microsoft Windows Vista Premium compatible with support for Aero Glass.
According to Microsoft’s Vista requirements, a DirectX 9 class graphics processor with support for hardware pixel shader 2.0 and 32 bits per pixel is required for Vista Premium for Aero Glass windows. Intel's G965 is currently slated to launch in August 2006, approximately a month after the launch of the other 965 chipsets. This delay has in part been attributed to Microsoft's unfirm specifications at the time G965 was being spun.
Intel's most recent roadmap also claims there will be native support for HDMI as well which means the graphics core will also have some HDCP compliance. Additionally, there will be support for what Intel calls "Clear Video Technology" which is Intel’s branding for the video-processing engine. Judging by Intel’s Viiv initiative and support for HDMI we expect the upcoming graphics core to accelerate high definition video formats used by HD-DVD and online video streaming services.
The new graphics core hasn’t received a name yet, though we expect Intel to abandon the Graphics Media Accelerator name as Intel has a knack of only using the same name for two graphics core revisions (Intel Extreme Graphics, Intel Extreme Graphics 2, Graphics Media Accelerator 900, Graphics Media Accelerator 950).
