Intel had a lot of success last year (2009) with their Atom processors for nettops and netbooks and it seems they plan to continue this momentum in 2010. Their latest platform code named “Pine Trail” combines their Atom CPUs with the NM10 Express motherboard chipset yielding a less complex configuration which is faster and uses less power.
The next wave of netbooks will be fitted with the Atom N450 and the nettops with the Atom D510 and D410. These CPUs have eliminated the Northbridge (middle) chip by integrating the memory controller and graphics processor decreasing overall power usage.
All three of these computer processors clock in at 1.66GHz and therefore meet Window’s 7 basic requirements. The N450 and D410 are single-core processors with 512kB of L2 cache. The D510 has two cores and 1MB of cache. The new N450, D410, and D510 also support Intel’s HyperThreading so the single core processors (N450, D410) can process two streams at once, while the D510 can process four. This is a plus when you’re working on multi-threaded tasks like multimedia encoding, watching videos, or surfing multiple sites at once. The integrated graphics cores speed things up quite a bit though they are responsible for more power usage than their predecessors. However Intel’s SpeedStep clocks down the processors, so they will use even less power when idling or while waiting for input.
So what does all this mean to the consumer? Having fewer chips on the motherboard equates to a lower price tag. Cooler running chips contributes to longer battery mileage and it also means that some of these machines do not need cooling fans also decreasing power usage.
At prices ranging from $300 to $350 these little computers are very affordable and cover the core tasks an average user needs such as internet browsing and email. However, if you’re looking for another machine to run Photoshop, Microsoft Office, or programming IDEs these are not for you.
The Intel Atom micro computer processor is currently one of the smallest computer processors in the world and uses forty million of the worlds smallest transistors. The Atom is built for low power usage and designed specifically for a new wave of mobile internet devices and simple, low-cost PC’s.
These tiny transistors are setting the stage for a next wave revolution in ultra small but powerful processors that are environment friendly. Using a lead free and halogen free manufacturing processes these chips are Intel’s first steps to eliminating halogen and lead products altogether.
Add to the mix the need for smaller, hip looking devices and you have a new generation of machines that require a new generation of processors specifically designed for them. The Atom fits this bill. Utilizing 47 million of the smallest transistors in the world it only requires a mere 1 to 2.5 watts of power enabling small batteries to last many times longer than traditional laptop batteries.
Mobile internet devices, netbooks and nettops are all the rage these days and are the target computing devices for the Intel Atom. Not everyone who has a computer is a geek, as a matter of fact many people just want to surf the internet, IM, text or chat. Netbooks and nettops are just that, compact devices for those of us who only require the basics of network communication, a word processor, a spreadsheet, and a couple of media viewing applications.
Nettops are the desktop version of these simplified machines, they look like monitors with a keyboard and a mouse attached but there’s no box along side. Don’t underestimate the power of these small devices. Just because they are not meant to run graphics heavy gaming software doesn’t mean they are not powerful. They are capable of running browser software as well as common document processing and media applications. Pretty much everything except gaming and the heavy applications programming IDEs.
Netbooks are similar to the nettops in function but are more like wireless laptops in design. A tad bigger than a mobile device, netbooks have somewhat normal sized keyboards and mouse capabilities though they are much smaller than the standard fifteen or fourteen inch laptop computer.
Based on the brand new hafnium-based 45nm microarchitecture, the Intel Atom processor is smaller, requires less energy to operate, is eco-friendly and delivers dual-core performance. Perfect for a new wave of tiny devices currently on the rise.
One of the downsides to the constant improvement of the computer processor is that as each new “next generation” CPU comes along, the previous “next big thing” becomes standard and then eventually obsolete. Not to say that improvement is a bad thing, just that it can be somewhat frustrating and rather expensive when trying to keep up.
One of the biggest developmens in recent CPU technology was the leap from 32-bit processing to 64-bit processing. This was made possible with the release of the dual core and multi-core processors. Two processors stand out in this realm, the Core 2 Duo and its predecessor the Pentium D. The fact remains that even though Intel’s Core 2 Duo dual core processor is an improvement upon the Pentium D dual core processor, many people can not tell the difference as both the Pentium D and the Core 2 Duo are 64-bit processors and both use Intel’s LGA 775 pin layout.
So, what IS the difference, besides the pricing, of these two comparable CPUs? There is in fact a profound difference in the CPU architecture and even though the performance improvement may not be immediately noticeable, in time, the better setup will be the basis of the next, “next generation” processor.
A lower nanometer chip runs cooler and is more efficient and faster than a chip with a higher nm. In 2005, the Pentium D was released as a 90nm chip but was then upgraded into a 65nm chip. Only one year later the Core 2 Duo, on the other hand, was released as a 65nm chip but was then upgraded into a 45nm chip in 2007. What makes this difference is that even though both processors have two cores the Pentium D actually has two chips. Therefore each of the Pentium D cores have their own cache. This allows it to run multiple tasks simultaneously without effecting the speed of the processor. The Core 2 uses two cores however they are on the same chip and therefore if one of the cores needs more resources it doesn’t have to wait for the other core to finish what its doing and release cache space for its next task as on the Pentium D.
Front Side Bus (FSB) speeds relate to the communication between the CPU and computer RAM. Pentium D FSB speeds range from 800Mhz to 1,066Mhz while Core 2 Duo processors FSB speeds range from 1,066Mhz to 1,333Mhz.
Though most people would not notice these speed and efficiency differences, the Core 2 Duo processor is a faster and more efficient computer processor than the Pentium D.
As computer hardware advances and becomes more affordable, so do the computer preocessors that control them. Quad-core processors are now in a price range where they can finally compete with the previously reigning dual-core processors. As of this article, the AMD Phenom X4 and the Intel Core i7 are now at the top of the heap.
When the dual-core processors hit the market their claim was that they were multi-tasking work horses. This was true, you could have processor heavy graphics programs working along side an anti-virus scanner and things were smooth as silk. Since then games and applications have arrived that use this multi-thread technology. The result is that these applications now compete for the processing cores and bog the system down.
Quad-core technology solves this problem as the dual core applications no longer fight over just two cores. These processors have two dies each with a dual-core processor which in a sense doubles the multi-threading capabilities. The low range quad-core processors have lower speeds compared to like priced dual-core processors so it may seem that the dual-cores are faster when using multi-threading applications however, when running software that is optimized for quad-core processors these CPUs will out perform the dual-core by 50% and more.
Using benchmarking software like PCmark or 3Dmark, the quad-core CPU always out scores the dual-core CPU. The quad-core CPUs require considerably more power than the dual-cores and as such tend to be a bit more noisy. A small price to pay for the power. One thing to consider before upgrading is what your intended use is. If you are only surfing the internet or watching movies perhaps an upgrade isn’t as necessary as you might think. Watching a movie next to a noisy processor could be a bit annoying, especially if the more expensive processor isn’t really improving the picture all that much.
Intel’s Core 2 brand contains both dual-core and quad-core CPUs based on their Core microarchitecture, the Core i7 is the successor to these very popular processors. AMD’s Phenom series was touted as the first true quad core design however their first releases were plagued with a bug that caused them to lock in rare circumstances.
As time moves forward the quad-core chips will become more affordable and will most likely be the norm in most new computers. As such software applications will begin to target these processors by default and the comparison between dual and quad will no longer be valid.
In the arena of the computer processor there are basically two players, AMD and Intel. Both companies make world class CPUs and the competition between the two is legendary.
There is the school of thought that AMD processors are better for 3D and graphics heavy applications such as gaming while Intel processors are better suited for handling multiple business applications running simultaneously but this is not really the case. For a while AMD had the fastest chip with its Athlon 64, all the gamers rushed out to upgrade their PCs then a few short months later Intel introduced its Dual Core technology and the race was afoot once again. AMD of cource now offers the Athlon X2 Dual Core but as of this writing Intel has the superior processors and they are a bit more affordable.
There are several factors that should be assessed before running out and buying a new processor for your machine. First, keep in mind that both these companies are continualy producing better products all the time and by the time you get your new CPU and have it installed there will probably be a newer, faster, better one available.
Speed seems to be the big obsession when comparing computer processors. Currently, Intel is at the forefront in this arena with the Quad Core technology. AMD definitely has some very fast processors such as the ATI Radeon series and the Demigod which feature their GDDR5 memory technology, but they tend to be more expensive that the comperable Intels.
AMD processors tend to operate at very high temperatures during gaming and graphic intense applications and can overheat. There are some amazing cooling devices available that can compensate for these high temperatures but this obviously adds to the overall cost. The latest Intel processors such as the Core 2 Duo, tend to have a much higher tolerance to heat, even without supplimentary cooling devices.
AMD continues to persue the gaming niche which is quite evident when viewing their marketing materials. Intel tends to lean towards the business/tech niche in their marketing efforts. Not that any of this matters, it is kind of interesting.
The AMDs do tend to be a bit more expensive these days and have not been up to par with the latest Intel processors, however all of this could change in a second though as the two companies race for market share. The computer processor is in a way mankind’s greatest technological achievement and it is nice to see a healthy competition between the two giants because no matter which one comes out ahead, the consumer is always the winner.
Computer processors are the brains of a computer. Otherwise known as the central processing unit or CPU this little device is the product of over 70 years of humanities best and brighest inventive thinking. Anyone who owns or works with computers has heard of Intel or AMD, Pentium, Celeron, HT, or Dual Core as these are the companies and their products that we use today. These computer processors are small and black and to the average person, a little black square that sits inside their computer, unrecognizable except for the branding that is printed on the top. They were not always that small.
The Atanasoff-Berry Computer or ABC as it is referred to was credited as the first digital computer. It’s central processor was a giant array of vacuum tubes that filled an entire room. Next up was the ENIAC which took up 1,800 square feet and used 18,000 vacuum tubes, weighing almost 50 tons. The operators spend a significant amount of time wizzing around on ladders changing the tubes as they burned out. Ever since, the trend of the central processor unit has continued to shrink in size and grow in power resulting in the tiny little square in your PC that is a zillion times faster, more powerful and efficient than its gigantic predecessors.
Today, as we play 3D games or utilize multiple applications simultaneously such as the word processor, internet browser, and email, we have no thoughts of the millions of instructions going on every second within the tiny CPU to make this work flow possible.
Intel processors include the Pentium and the Celeron. The Pentium claims to be the most powerful and is able to handle the more demanding tasks such as gaming programs as well as handeling multiple tasks such as those done in a demanding work place. The Celeron processor boasts compatability with many hardware and software manufacturers as its strong point.
AMD, which stands for Advanced Micro Devices, processors are an excellent value and though they may be less expensive than the Intel processors they are as well compatible with most hardware and softwares in the current marketplace. AMD processors include the Athlon XP which was made to go with the Windows XP operating system and the Athlon 64, a speedy CPU that is an excellent choice for gaming and graphics heavy applications.
Ratings for computer processors change constantly as each company is continually developing new models with new specifications every year. When looking for a new computer or new processor for your old friend be sure to do a little research into what these two companies offer at the time. Also take into consideration what you will be doing, gaming, simple web browsing, running complex applications or multiple applications simultaneously. No doubt you will find whatever information you need about computer processors on the internet as there are plenty of geeks out there who live and breath hardware and software and the myriad of parts and accessories and add ons that go along with them.
