Via keeps it small and secure with its C7 processor

By Matt Whipp

Posted on 27 May 2005 at 15:44

Via is claiming the world's smallest, lowest power and most secure native x86 processor in its new C7 range, unveiled at Computex.

Manufactured at IBM's chip fabs to a 90nm process, the new range, unveiled at this year's Computex show in Taiwan, promises to drag Via at least out of the shadows - if not into the limelight.

While Via can't compete with the likes of Intel or AMD in terms of raw power, it has a couple of aces up its sleeve. Power-wise, it draws a tenth of a Watt when idle, and running at 2GHz still achieves 20W, less than its contemporaries. Its efficiency is further demonstrated in that it produces very little heat: Via reckons around 40 per cent less that competitors.

It will initially ship with a top clock speed of 2.0GHz, an 800MHz bus interface and 128KB of Level 1 and Level 2 on-die cache.

The new range also supports robust security technologies in its hardware including AES encryption, SHA-1 and SHA-256 hashing, as well as a random number generator and Montgomery Multiplier for public key cryptography. It also supports the NX feature in Windows XP SP2 that stops executable code running from the data memory area.

'With the rest of the market moving towards low power, heat efficient processor design and distributed platforms, the industry is clearly starting to follow the direction we have been championing for many years,' said Wenchi Chen, President and CEO, Via. 'The VIA C7 processor will underpin our next generation platforms and enable us to maintain our leadership in driving the next wave of platform innovation.'

The C7 processor family will be available in the summer. More information is available at the Via website.