Microsoft Corp. has validated NVIDIA ION with certified Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) drivers for Windows Vista Home Premium for the ION low power PCs. NVIDIA has also announced that plans to deliver them PCs by the summer of 2009, for prices that will start as low as $299.

 

According to NVIDIA, the ION-based PCs will be capable of delivering 1080p high definition video, including Blue-ray movies, support for Microsoft’s DirectX 10 API, support for Windows Vista features, including Aero Glass and Flip3D, as well as GPU acceleration for faster photo editing and video transcoding.

 

Microsoft’s general manager for the Windows division Mike Ybarra said users expect to find the Windows experience across a wide variety of PCs, and the Windows Vista – NVIDIA ION combination will deliver them an affordable premium Windows experience in a small notebook or desktop form factor.

 

Users will get an unprecedented experience while browsing the web, checking their email, streaming music or watching movies, Ybarra also said.

 

Drew Henry, general manager of the MCP business unit at NVIDIA, said in a statement: NVIDIA ION and Windows are a perfect match. It is great to have Microsoft with ION into these new low-priced notebooks and really small desktop PCs, which previously wasn’t possible with other solutions. This is a big win for consumers.

 

The ION platform will run along Intel’s Atom processor, and according to NVIDIA, this will give small form factor notebook and desktop PCs rich media capabilities and full graphics support for the first time.