2. ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 - Raising The Bar In Mobile Graphics Technology, Continued

To switch to a new mobile GPU often requires a complete redesign of the boards within the notebook. Things are changing on this front, with the development of pin-for-pin compatible mobile GPU packaging that will allow laptop/ notebook vendors to accelerate the introduction of new GPUs. This could also lead OEMs to introduce the same laptop with different graphics configurations, since the majority of the difference in these configurations would center around the packaging of the GPU and the amount of memory included.

Based on our discussions with ATI, we think that only a small segment of laptop customers are currently demanding the feature-rich performance of products like the Mobility Radeon 7500. However, this market segment is growing and will continue to gain market share well beyond the scope of the typical graphics enthusiast. The features of the Mobility Radeon 7500 will change minds and attitudes. While currently the mobile "desktop replacement" market is where you can expect to find the Mobility Radeon 7500, we feel that in the future you can expect to find different versions, or scaled back versions of the Mobility Radeon 7500 core, showing up in the "thin and light" and "mainstream" notebook market segments.

The Mobility Radeon 7500 that we tested is targeted at the desktop replacement notebook, notebooks that typically weigh more and cost more than any of the models that an OEM has to offer. Currently, you can expect these "desktop replacement" notebooks to feature 15" screens, very large hard drives (by notebook standards), multiple device spindles, and to weigh eight to nine pounds.

It will be some time before your see a typical IT shop adopting notebooks that feature the Mobility Radeon 7500. The Mobility Radeon 7500 will continue to be reserved for "desktop replacement" notebooks, for the time being. Typical home/ SOHO users that seek notebooks with the Mobility Radeon 7500 will be able to find them, but can expect to pay an additional $100 premium for this technology at this point in time. However, with the ATI "waterfall" mobile GPU road map, you can expect these designs and technology to trickle down to the mainstream notebook product lines over time.

An up close and personal look at the Mobility Radeon 7500 GPU.