Intel unveils dual-core Atom

 

Gallery

By Matthew Sparkes

Posted on 20 Aug 2008 at 11:31

Intel has unveiled a new Atom processor, bringing dual-core performance to its range of energy efficient chips - but only for desktop machines.

The Atom 330 will begin shipping in September, attached to Intel's new D945GCLF2 motherboard. The motherboard will be based around the Intel 945GC Express Chipset, and ship with an integrated graphics chip and network adapter.

The new motherboard uses the mini-ITX form factor, which is backwards compatible with MicroATX but allows even smaller case designs.

Intel intends the board to form the core of low-cost nettop desktop machines such as the Dell Studio Hybrid and the Eee Box.

Only one DIMM socket is included, supporting a maximum of 2GB of RAM. It is expected that the 45nm 330 chip will use HyperThreading to appear to the OS as four separate cores, just as current single-core Atom processors appear as dual-core chips.

There are no details as yet on a mobile version of the processor, although it is expected that Intel will release such a chip.

Earlier this month it was reported that Asus is likely to ship a new high-end version of its Eee PC equipped with dual-core Atom processors.