Intel Atom-based MID cracked open
(Credit: Intel)Intel has posted a video showing the inside of a device using the Atom processor as it rolls out five new Atom chips at the Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai.
Intel Ultra Mobile guru, Uday Keshavdas, cracked open the back of a mobile Internet device (MID) to show where the Atom processor fits in--literally. (No teardown here. Cracking open the back of the device doesn't qualify.)
The low-cost Atom processor is a technology centerpiece at the Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai.
Intel Atom processor SKUs
(Credit: Intel Corp.)The chipmaker on Wednesday introduced five new Atom processors and Intel Centrino Atom processor technology for MIDs and embedded computing solutions. The Z500, Z510, Z520, Z530, and Z540 chips draw between 0.65 and 2.4 watts (compared to notebook chips that typically draw between 20 with 35 watts). Speeds range from 800MHz to 1.86GHz, with list prices ranging from $45 to $160.
All Atom chips come with 512K of L2 cache memory and have die sizes of 7.8mm x 3.1mm.
Atom technology includes a single-chip with integrated graphics called the Intel System Controller Hub, Intel said Wednesday. Device manufacturers are planning to ship MIDs beginning this summer, Intel said.
Atom will find its way into fit-in-your-pocket MIDs from Gigabyte, Toshiba, LG Electronics, Lenovo, and BenQ, among others. Netbooks (inexpensive, Internet-centric ultra-small notebook PCs) such as Asus's popular Intel-based Eee PC, MSI's Wind PC, and Clevo will also use the chip.
Atom will also be employed in low-cost desktops called Nettops.
Though some computer makers will opt for Windows, many MIDs, Netbooks, and even Nettops will use the Linux OS.
Against the OEM's wishes, the Accelerator 917V features a quad-core CPU.
(Credit: Xtreme Notebooks)After last week's post about Xtreme Notebooks squeezing a quad-core processor inside a laptop, another small laptop vendor, ProStar Computer, contacted me to say such a feat is impossible. In his email, the ProStar rep claims that Clevo, the manufacturer of the chassis used in the Xtreme Accelerator 917V, has not approved any quad-core processors for use inside the Clevo D900C. To my eyes, it looks like the Accelerator 917V uses the gray D901C chassis. Either way, the product pages for both Clevo chassis list the supported CPUs as Core 2 Duo E6300/E6400, E6600/E6700, and the Core 2 Extreme X6800. No Core 2 Quad in sight.
I contacted Allen Hsieh, Clevo's Director of U.S. Sales, who told me that, indeed, it's true--the company has yet to approve quad-core chips for this platform. I can see why, as a quad-core desktop chip runs hotter than a more efficient laptop part with fewer cores and a lower clockspeed. Then again, the supported Core 2 Extreme chip is clocked at 2.93GHz, which is higher than the either of the Core 2 Quad chips, the 2.4GHz Q6600 or the 2.66GHz Q6700, Xtreme Notebooks offers on the Accelerator 917V. Plus, if Xtreme Notebooks is willing to assume the risk of selling (and supporting) such a system, what's stopping them?
When I contacted Xtreme Notebooks regarding this matter, the company's president, Steven Nichols, assured me that he is selling this quad-core laptop and has already, in fact, shipped a number out to customers. And he promised that CNET would have a review unit in its labs within a couple weeks.
While it appears the Accelerator 917V is for real (it's listed for sale here, after all), I would urge a little caution to those considering this system, since the OEM of the chassis hasn't approved anything more than a dual-core CPU. We'll know more once we're able to run the Accelerator 917V through our tests and get a feeling for its stability. It's not like you're running any software that's crying out for four processing cores anyway. Give it a couple of weeks and hopefully, we'll have a full rundown of its performance and thermal output.
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