Intel previews next-gen Atoms

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 20 May 2009 at 16:15

Intel has unveiled its next-generation Atom processor, as it seeks to maintain its stranglehold on the netbook market.

The biggest change to the platform takes place on the processor, codenamed Pineview, where the memory controller and GPU will be integrated onto the same die as the processor itself.

The big benefit of this design as that the Atom platform is reduced from three chips to two - the other being the southbridge featuring the I/O hub.

This will serve to bring down the size, cost and potential power draw. The latter could be offset by an increase in clock speed, however.

Pineview will be manufactured using the 45nm process and is scheduled to appear in the fourth quarter of this year. Rumours have suggested that dual-core versions are in the works, though Intel didn't mention these plans in its briefing.

It did note, however, that system builders could choose to pair Pineview with Nvidia's Ion platform, should they require a little more graphics power.

Alongside news of the new Atoms, Intel also announced the release of the Moblin 2 beta open-source OS for Atom-powered netbooks.