Intel's Atom Grows Up, Moves out of Netbooks

From PC World: Have you noticed Atom-based laptops seem to be getting nicer? The latest models sport bigger screens, more RAM, and slimmer and lighter designs than anything that's come before. They are also using versions of the Atom processor that weren't originally intended to be used in laptops.

The Atom processor family tree is split into two main branches. The side of the family that's gotten the most attention so far is the 1.6GHz Atom N270, formerly called Diamondville. This chip is the heart of Intel's netbook platform, an Atom processor paired with Intel's 945GSE Express chipset and intended for use in small, portable laptops, like Asustek Computer's Eee PC and Acer's Aspire One.

The N270 is closely related to two other chips, the 1.6GHz Atom 230 and 1.6GHz Atom 330. Both chips are designed for use in low-end desktops, a product segment that Intel calls nettops.

The other side of the Atom processor family is the Z-series, formerly called Silverthorne, a range of chips released before the N270 that run at clock speeds from 800MHz to 1.86Ghz.

View: Article @ Source Site