Slimmer, fanless netbooks
Last week, we
noted that the second quarter of this year will bring an abundant
variety of netbooks featuring Intel's Atom N280 processor and GN40 HD-capable
chipset. Additionally however, Intel is
planning to launch the successor to its current Atom lineup in the
second quarter with its 45nm Pineview-M single-core processors based on Lincroft
System on a Chip (SoC) low-power architecture.
According to Intel's latest plans, Pineview will integrate northbridge
functions such as a memory controller and graphics core to allow for a smaller
form factor for nettops and netbooks. This
effectively allows the Atom platform to switch from a
northbridge/CPU/southbridge three-chip design to a CPU/southbridge two-chip
design (see here). Moreover, the new chipset can be reduced from
2174mm² down to only 773mm² and the PCB can be reduced from 6 layers to 4
layers, which will effectively lower total production costs.
The new processor features a dual-channel DDR2 integrated
memory controller similar to the one found on upcoming 45nm Core i5 desktop processors,
codenamed Lynnfield.
More specifically, the CPUs will run
higher than 1.60GHz with a TDP of 7 watts, up from 8 watts, and the memory
standard has been raised to support DDR2-667.
Intel has decided to keep its GMA950 integrated graphics processor but
has raised the core clock to 200MHz, up from 133MHz on the Atom N270 chipset,
which roughly equates to a 15 to 20% graphics performance increase. Finally,
the new southbridge will be codenamed Tigerpoint-M and will be replacing the
ICH7M.
By integrating several critical chipset components into the
CPU and producing a two-chip design, Intel has been able to successfully lower
the overall power consumption of its new architecture which spells a
significant achievement for netbooks – fanless cooling. With this new generation of Atom processors, netbooks
will be quieter, slimmer, and more energy efficient. Furthermore, netbook sales are definitely set
to rise in 2009.
On another note, HKEPC Hardware has published a chart of
Pineview's full specifications which can be found here.
Aslo read:
