Intel Atom N270 To Continue Powering Netbooks

Intel Atom N270 To Continue Powering Netbooks

According to a DigiTimes report, Intel is planning to delay the launch of its next-gen Atom N450 processor to the first quarter of next year. The current Atom N270 will continue playing a major role in the netbook market through the end of 2009 and into 2010; it is significantly cheaper than the N450. Intel has reportedly so far received only a small amount of N450 orders. A major reason for the delay is the company's concern that the N450-based netbook sales could eat into sales of ultra-thin notebooks and notebooks based on its next-generation platform.

Full Story (DigiTimes.com)

 

I think that would be ok, as long as they could put a real video processor into the netbooks. I imagine Flash video wouldn't be accelerated by a video processor but if it could, that would be pretty good.

 

adobe has recently introduced video hardware acceleration to flash. i think it's limited to a few chips and in features yet, but that'd be interesting indeed for netbooks.

 

Is the N450 the dual core Atom? Or just the higher CPU speed Atom?

Personally, I think Intel is making netbooks die considering how they're releasing C2D ULV processors now. It'll come to a point when the ULV processors computers will be only slightly more than the Atom processors computers that it'd be better off getting the ULV ones even if battery life isn't as good. At least you'll have a larger screen and better processor.

 

^ you could be right. they know the industry (hardware or software) as a whole can't take netbooks eating away at the marketshare. it'll cause technological stagnation.

hardware acceleration fails with flash in HD because it's CPU-dependent.

and history already has proven that the Atom N270/280 are simply to underpowered to handle HD Flash streaming. Hulu.com's HD vids remain the principle example.

 

The N450 is basically a N280 that uses the GMA 500 chipset instead of the 950.

 

I good comparison between the GMA 500 and 950

http://www.netbookmarket.net/intel-gma950-vs-gma500/

 

If the last 2 posts are true, then GMA500 isn't even a real improvement over GMA950... It's weaker, but supports new technologies.

I don't see the loss here.

 

There is a loss. Most Pineview systems will be fanless (compared to currently only a few netbooks) and give way more battery life than current Atom's. And ram speed is increased from 533Mhz to 667Mhz. AND, the N450 might be 64-bit compatible.

 

I assume netbooks will still be capped at 1-2GB RAM max?
I thought I read somewhere that 64-bit Win7 runs slower than 32-bit until you have like 3+ GB..

 

I don't know if 64 bit Windows runs slow on less than 3GB of ram, but yes the chipset will still be limited to only 2GB of ram.

 

Some of the capabilities of the GMA 500 (DirectX 10, for example) aren't supported in XP. Initially, it (GMA 500) was initially intended to be paired with Windows Vista. But it didn't work out so well.

As mentioned, the biggest advantage of the GMA 500 (US15W chipset) is a 2.3W TDP vs. 6.0W TDP for the GMA 950 (GMA 945GSE chipset). The result is less power usage (battery life) which generates less heat...and that means thinner, fanless designs. I've used a Dell Mini 12 and, without a fan, it never felt warmer than room temp! It's "Achilles' heel" is the slow 4200rpm PATA hard drive....but I digress.