Intel has just officially announced new Atom processors that should be seen running next year’s batch of netbooks. Codenamed “Pine Trail”, the new processors are based on a 45nm process that’s listed to offer 20% less power consumption than the previous generation of Atom CPUs, which translates to less heat (and a reduced need for cooling) in a smaller package.
The new Atom chips also feature integrated graphics and a memory controller into the CPU to give the system a lower TDP (Thermal Design Power), as well as reduced cost, space requirements, and power requirements. These advantages should translate to more compact, power-efficient, (and possibly cheaper) netbook and desktop designs for next year.
Intel has lined up three new processor models up for use in upcoming systems: the N450, D510, and D410. The N450 is designed for use on netbooks, with a 1.66GHz clock, 512K cache, support for DDR2-667 memory, and a low cooling requirement of 5.5W TDP. The D510 and D410 are meant for use on entry level desktops (or “nettops”), with 1.66GHz clocks and support for DDR2-600/667 memory. The D510 is the higher-performing model of the two, featuring dual cores, a larger 1M cache, but with a higher 13W TDP. The D410 sports a single core, a smaller 512K cache, and a 10W TDP.
The new cores have been delivered to Intel’s partners, and systems running on the next-gen Atoms are expected to start shipping by January 4th. Intel has announced that over 80 netbook designs from brands such as Asus, Acer, Dell, Toshiba, Fujitsu, Lenovo, Samsung, and MSI are lined up for next year.
In the video below, Cindy Ng from Intel’s Netbook Marketing Team demonstrates the Intel Atom Processors for netbooks and entry-level desktops.
Tags: Atom, Intel, Netbooks, NetTops, Processors
