James Delahunty
28 Feb 2010 15:54
Intel plans to release a faster version of its Atom N450 processor for use with Netbooks on Monday. The new N470 is almost identical to the N450 except that it has gotten a speed increase from 1.66GHz to 1.83GHz. The chip will feature fairly quickly in new netbook offerings from laptop makers, as the segment remains popular among consumers.
The Atom processors are built to be more energy efficient. The company uses a different architecture to achieve this goal, but the trade-off is lower performance. Netbooks generally sell for less than $350, which puts restraints on how much an Atom processor should cost manufacturers.
Intel is also reportedly on track to deliver a new "Moorestown" Atom chip targeted for use with smartphones and mobile Internet devices. The new chip is expected to be unveiled by Intel later this year. The company's manufacturing relationship with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is currently on hold according to a report in the New York Times.
The report cites a source familiar with the tie-up that explained that demand for the new chips (to feature in handheld devices) is just not strong enough at present.