Nvidia Targets Wider Role for New Chip

SAN FRANCISCO -- Seeking to extend its reign in its core market, Nvidia(NVDA Quote) unveiled its latest graphics engine Monday.

The new chip, which features 240 processor cores and double the number of transistors from the previous generation, continues Nvidia's tradition of delivering the so-called bleeding-edge graphic processing muscle treasured by video game enthusiasts, while also positioning Nvidia to extend its significance beyond the province of games and into computing.

It's a bold bet by Nvidia. But it also underscores the multiple threats facing the company which could eat into its business. ...