This is a picture of Intel’s keenly-awaited Atom processor (top right) – the very first example of the CPU (previously dubbed Silverthorne) to surface in the UK.

Though the chip is principally aimed at mobile applications – Intel claims it’s the world’s smallest processor – here it forms part of a super-quiet, super-efficient desktop PC from Tranquil, housed in the firm’s impressive all-but silent fanless chassis.

In this instance, the processor is a 1.6GHz single-core part, as you can see from the screenshot above. And it certainly lives up to Tranquil’s green ambitions: our readings had it idling at 31W, while power draw peaked at 36W.

Elsewhere, the specifications are as we’d expect of a Tranquil machine: a low-powered laptop DVD writer is complemented by one of Western Digital’s Green Power hard disks – the 500GB WD5000AACS; there’s 2GB of RAM, which helps to keep Vista Home Premium running at a fair old nip; and graphics are Intel’s integrated GMA 950.

The price looks enticing as well: the whole lot comes in at around £400 exc VAT. Check out the full review here, where we reveal benchmark results and our verdict on Intel’s newest CPU.