Trident Microsystems, Inc. and UMC today announced that Trident is now sampling the XP4, the industry's first 3D graphics processor fabricated using UMC's advanced 130nm (0.13um) CMOS process technology. The XP4 fully implements the DirectX 8.1 graphics standard from Microsoft and delivers one billion pixels/sec performance while consuming less than three watts (max). The breakthrough performance-per-watt is more than twice that of all other competitors. The XP4 uses only 30 million transistors, which is less than half the number of transistors of the nearest desktop equivalent in functionality and performance. UMC's leading edge 130nm process allows the XP4 to benefit from three significant technical advances: Faster transistors that enable higher clock rate, corresponding to higher performance. XP4 engine clock reaches 250MHz and DDR memory clock reaches 666MHz, both of which are the industry's highest clock rate for notebooks with DX8.1 capability. Smaller device geometry that produces smaller chip sizes and results in lower production cost. Lower operating voltage which causes much less power dissipation. A voltage reduction from 1.8 volts (in 180nm process) to 1.2 volts (in 130nm process) can reduce the power dissipation to less than 50%.

"We are very pleased with UMC's 130nm process as it represents the best in CMOS process technology and is the most competitive in production cost," said J.H. Chang, senior vice president of engineering for Trident. "XP4 product leadership with respect to performance, feature set, power and cost would not have been made possible without such an advanced process technology and excellent technical support from UMC." The XP4 samples are available now for evaluation and are priced at $39.95 in large quantities. Source: Trident