Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform (WARP) is a software rasterizer that'll run normal DX10 code in CPU, much like the old days. Further information: Microsoft WARP Boosts Graphics on Intel's CPUs

Note that Core i7 is used in comparison against G45 IGP. Dedicated low end GPU can still deliver performance exponentially higher. However, Intel's Larrabee might use WARP as it is a multi x86 core GPU (or CPU?) itself. Given that modern low end GPUs have features the same as high end counterparts, WARP should be irrelevant. Atom won't have the necessary performance to run WARP. A GPU of some sort is still needed to provide output display.

Update 7/1/09: Minimum requirement to run Win7's Aero interface is DX10 capable GPU. In order to prevent another 'Windows Vista Ready' lawsuit, Sninofsky might have comissioned for a software rasterizer to be made. Also, Win7's new WDDM2 might allow for DX11 and its subset, DX10 only. That means DX9 hardware might not be able to run or at best, with partially enabled features.

Well, I reckon something like hybrid mode ATI has done. Processor power aids the processing and take a bit of load off the GPU itself = less power usage?

I don't think so. It'd be too complicated. DX10/10.1 were originally designed to run on highly parallel architecture. It took an Extreme Edition Ci7 to beat a G45. Even the HD2400 can run 30FPS average according to MSDN website.

Sounds to me like a makeshift-last-effort to temporarily fix the low performance of Intel IGP since they have very very fast cpus.

I'd ask why WRAP as well, but, more like, why Rasterization? Isn't Larrabee about ray tracing and pretty much what they have been babbling about saying it's the future and all.

Rasterization is AMD and Nvidia's game. WARP from Intel would either mean a temporary fix until larrabee came out; or they just play it safe, you know, WARP works on x86, larrabee is x86, do they think rasterization will not go away so they try to go both ways?

Intel makes crappy driver so WARP for Larrabee might fix it.

i think so too