Intel begins shipping new Atom chip for Netbooks
Intel's newest Atom processor has slipped out of the starting gate sooner than expected.
Asus 1000HE Eee PC uses the new Atom N280 processor.
(Credit: Asus)Though the Atom N280 had been expected later this year, it is now shipping to Intel customers. "Asus is already taking preorders for the 1000HE with the N280," Intel spokesperson Bill Calder said Thursday.
Intel doesn't expect the rollout to be as big as the Atom N270, introduced back in June, but the N280 is expected to appear in a few systems, Calder said.
The N280 brings a minuscule clock frequency improvement to the N270, bumping up the speed to only 1.66GHz from the N270's 1.6GHz.
The most noticeable improvement is delivered by the accompanying chipset--the GN40. Its built-in graphics silicon offers--for the first time on an Intel Netbook platform--1080p HD playback (though there will be no Blu-ray logo). Nvidia's Atom-based Ion platform will offer even better graphics, however.
Intel has also increased the front-side bus--a data path between the processor and other silicon--speed from 533MHz to 667MHz.
The N280 won't necessarily be the fastest Atom, however. The Z540, which is targeted at handheld-size mobile Internet devices, has been around since April and runs at 1.86GHz, a faster clock speed than the N280.
News about N280 was reported earlier here.
Brooke Crothers has been an editor at large at CNET News, an analyst at IDC Japan, and an editor at The Asian Wall Street Journal Weekly, among other endeavors, including co-manager of an after-school math-and-reading center. He writes for the CNET Blog Network and is not a current employee of CNET. Disclosure. 
Sure it is kind of a waste of the vista license tax, but your machine will (probably) thank you.
I'd rather buy another netbook than an X-box or PS3.
The significant thing here is a defined devlopment path for ATOM and INTEL are over the moon that we love it as it means more mobile devices on streets, buses the Park etc. This is part of INTELS plans they need this to prop up other related tehcnologies that cant be brought to market yet because there are not enough mobile devices out and about demanding anywere high speed access to the internet. We love NETBOOKS because thay have been handed to use on a plate for next to nothing (though I think this is changing because the manafactures cant afford it!!) . Just what we need in these tuff times and just what we want in our information connected lives. I know I want one.
Telephone communications are only a short term solution to mobile comms you might be swapping your HSDPA card for a Intel developed and service funded WIMAX one some time soon and we will be paying for the service. Thats a good plan take some of those massive mobile comms profits they arent crunched After all how are they ever going to stream HD over HSDPA.
Intel and the rest of them need to keep the cost down which is why the Atom will not get developed more than it needs to. .
I love the idea of NETBOOKS shame I havent got the cash for one.
Kevin.
- by edmundo February 9, 2009 10:10 PM PST
- Unfortunately Intel N280 CPUs used in the first shipments of Asus 1000HE Eee PCs will not come with GN40 graphics. The N280 CPUs in the first 1000HE Eee PCs will come with Intel 945GSE graphic chipsets. Source: < http://blog.laptopmag.com/eee-pc-1000he-uses-intel-945gse-chipset-still-plays-720p-video#respond >
- Reply to this comment
-
(6 Comments)