Intel Atom processors, just like the latest Intel Core 2 and Intel Xeon chips, are produced using 45nm process technology. At present Intel has two 300mm fabs that produce chips using 45nm process technology – D1D in Hillsboro, Oregon, and Fab 32 in Chandler, Arizona. Given that Intel has a plan to aggressively ramp up production of new desktop processors using the new process technology, a slight mistake in demand prediction automatically means shortages of Intel Atom chips, which hardly received the first priority from Intel. Two additional 45nm, 300mm manufacturing factories are scheduled to open this year in Kiryat Gat, Israel (Fab 28) and Rio Rancho, New Mexico (Fab 11x), which will let Intel to manufacture sufficient amount of Atom, Core 2 and Xeon processors. Approximately 2.5 thousand Atom processors can be made on a single 300mm wafer. Intel’s first processor for nettops – desktop ULCPCs – is Intel Atom 230, which has one processing core with multi-threading technology, works at 1.60GHz, sports 512KB of L2 cache and uses 533MHz PSB. The chip has 4W TDP and is compatible with Intel 945GC core-logic with built-in DirectX 9-class graphics core. According to Intel, there is significant interest from system vendors in netbooks and nettops and the company expects about 10 designs to be launching from Acer, Asustek computer, Elitegroup Computer Systems, Gigabyte, Malata, Medion, MicroStar Internationa, Quanta, Shuttle and other companies. Besides, they will be available throughout 2008 from Sylvania, Toshiba and others. The category of low-cost desktop or mobile computers is hardly completely new: Via Technologies and Silicon Integrated Systems Corp. have been developing chipset and processor solutions to enable truly affordable personal computers for years. However, the idea of ULCPC was reborn with the emergence of Asus Eee PC, which was initially positioned for education markets in the developing world, but quickly became a mobile companion for a smartphones in well-developed countries. According to some observers, Internet-oriented desktops and notebooks will continue gain popularity across the world thanks to availability of content and services that entertain or allow to perform the number of tasks sufficient for an average user.
Intel Atom processors, just like the latest Intel Core 2 and Intel Xeon chips, are produced using 45nm process technology. At present Intel has two 300mm fabs that produce chips using 45nm process technology – D1D in Hillsboro, Oregon, and Fab 32 in Chandler, Arizona. Given that Intel has a plan to aggressively ramp up production of new desktop processors using the new process technology, a slight mistake in demand prediction automatically means shortages of Intel Atom chips, which hardly received the first priority from Intel. Two additional 45nm, 300mm manufacturing factories are scheduled to open this year in Kiryat Gat, Israel (Fab 28) and Rio Rancho, New Mexico (Fab 11x), which will let Intel to manufacture sufficient amount of Atom, Core 2 and Xeon processors. Approximately 2.5 thousand Atom processors can be made on a single 300mm wafer.
Intel’s first processor for nettops – desktop ULCPCs – is Intel Atom 230, which has one processing core with multi-threading technology, works at 1.60GHz, sports 512KB of L2 cache and uses 533MHz PSB. The chip has 4W TDP and is compatible with Intel 945GC core-logic with built-in DirectX 9-class graphics core.
According to Intel, there is significant interest from system vendors in netbooks and nettops and the company expects about 10 designs to be launching from Acer, Asustek computer, Elitegroup Computer Systems, Gigabyte, Malata, Medion, MicroStar Internationa, Quanta, Shuttle and other companies. Besides, they will be available throughout 2008 from Sylvania, Toshiba and others.
The category of low-cost desktop or mobile computers is hardly completely new: Via Technologies and Silicon Integrated Systems Corp. have been developing chipset and processor solutions to enable truly affordable personal computers for years.
However, the idea of ULCPC was reborn with the emergence of Asus Eee PC, which was initially positioned for education marketsin the developing world, but quickly became a mobile companion for a smartphones in well-developed countries. According to some observers, Internet-oriented desktops and notebooks will continue gain popularity across the world thanks to availability of content and services that entertain or allow to perform the number of tasks sufficient for an average user.
