More than 200 PC models will feature Nvidia Geforce GPUs with Intel's Sandy Bridge CPUs in the first half of 2011, Nvidia announced today. The designs are expected to span a variety of notebook and desktop systems from Acer, Alienware, ASUS, Dell, Fujitsu-Siemens, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba and more, the company said.

Nvidia claims that as the demand for graphics processing power continues to grow, computer makers are turning to NVIDIA GeForce GPUs to deliver higher levels of performance not possible with integrated graphics on applications such as games, video editing, web browsing, and 3D movies. Although basic graphics are integrated into Sandy Bridge CPUs, GeForce GPUs provide advanced features and increased compatibility for the latest PC games including those based on Microsoft DirectX 11.

"Demand from OEMs for discrete graphics solutions remains strong and above historic levels," said Dean McCarron of Mercury Research. "We are projecting healthy growth in the years ahead for discrete GPU solutions for both notebook and desktop. Based on the current attach rate for GPU shipments, Mercury Research forecasts that discrete GPU shipments will double between 2009 and 2014."

NVIDIA GeForce GPUs offer NVIDIA 3D Vision support, PhysX engine support, CUDA architecture support for GPU computing applications, NVIDIA Verde notebook drivers as well as support for NVIDIA 3DTV Play software, for connecting 3D Vision-based notebooks and desktops to a 3D TV.