Critical.
Authoritative.
Strategic.
Subscribe to CIO Magazine »

Intel aims to add speed to Atom with new platform

The new Atom platform will move the chipset alongside the Atom processor in a single chip

Intel on Tuesday revealed further details surrounding its next-generation Atom netbook platform that should provide improved system performance and power savings to low-cost laptops.

The new Atom platform, code-named Pine Trail, will move the chipset -- which includes the graphics and memory controller -- alongside the Atom processor in a single chip, Intel officials said on a conference call.

Reducing the number of chips should lead to thinner designs, better battery life and lower pricing of netbooks.

The new platform should also improve system speed by cutting bottlenecks that plagued Intel's earlier Atom netbook architecture.

Integrating the memory controller should remove the memory latency affecting existing Atom architectures, which would translate into better netbook performance. Integrating graphics with the processor should also provide faster access to graphics.

Company officials reserved comment on the types of graphics capabilities it would provide in the new Atom platform, saying it would reveal further details at the Computex trade show to be held later this month in Taiwan.

Intel's current netbook architecture puts the graphics and memory capabilities on a separate chipset. However, as netbook users demand better graphics, the chipset has been criticized for its limited graphics capabilities compared to Nvidia's Ion platform, which brings together the Atom chip with a GeForce graphics chip to deliver full 1080p graphics capabilities.

The Pine Trail platform is set to become available to PC manufacturers in the second half of the year. Products based on the new platform may be announced at Computex, though actual shipping dates may vary depending on the PC makers, said Noury Al-Khaledy, the general manager of netbooks and nettops at Intel.

The new Atom platform should also make designing products easier and reduce manufacturing costs for PC makers.

Netbooks are low-cost laptops typically characterized by small screens and limited graphics capabilities. The laptops are designed for basic Internet applications like Web surfing and e-mail, and also for applications like word processing.

Shipments of netbooks grew sevenfold in the first quarter of 2009 to reach around 4.5 million, with the number expected to grow to 22 million by the end of the year, according to IDC.

"We can't be happier with the momentum we've established with this category," Al-Khaledy said.

The company has more than 300 netbook and nettop design wins among manufacturers for the Atom chip. Nettops are low-cost desktop computers about the size of a hardcover book.

Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.

More about: Computex, eForce, IDC, Intel, Nvidia

Comments

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
Users posting comments agree to the CIO comments policy.
Login or register to link comments to your user profile, or you may also post a comment without being logged in.
Related Coverage
Related Whitepapers
Latest Stories
Community Comments
Tags: atom chip, Intel, intel atom, netbooks
Latest Blog Posts
Whitepapers
  • The State of Data Security
    Recognize how your data can become vulnerable, including the latest issues stemming from unprotected data on mobile devices and social media sites. Understand the compliance issues involved, and identify data protection strategies you can use to keep your company’s information both safe and compliant.
    Learn more »
  • HP ePrint Enterprise mobile printing solution
    The merger of mobile devices and cloud services has become one of the most significant enablers of business productivity and innovation in the past decade. We now hold the power of communicating and computing in the palms of our hands, nearly anywhere business or life takes us. However, one key business process has eluded the mobility movement: printing. Even the most technically enabled business travelers find themselves hunting down print services while on the road and interrupting IT managers when visiting a branch office simply to print a document. But finally, a truly mobile print experience is available—helping enterprises to drive business productivity further. Read more.
    Learn more »
  • Restore control, Reinforce security & Reduce Cost
    Uncontrolled print environments and practices present a serious risk to the profit and security of your organisation. IT is under pressure to protect sensitive information, secure devices, and improve the way they manage the entire fleet. To gain better control, your organisation needs to implement plans that meet industry regulations while also increasing productivity, lowering costs, and providing users with more flexible imaging and printing solutions. Read more.
    Learn more »
All whitepapers
rhs_login_lockGet exclusive access to Invitation only events CIO, reports & analysis.
Recent comments