Intel atom is the new processor from Intel specially manufactured for mobile internet devices(MIDs). Previously codenamed Silverthorne and Diamondville, it is now given the new name atom. Major fields of application include Smartphones and ultramobile PCs which
are of relatively smaller size. The mobile technology which incorporates this processor is called Centrino Atom. Actually this is the first X86, a bit old I have to say, based processor after Intel Pentium.
At the cost of speed, Intel has made significant improvements in power consumption and cost. Average battery life is significantly extended by decreasing idle powen consumption. In short, Intel Atom processors are aimed at devices which need smallest power consumption as their primary feature. Power consumption problems had always been there with all intel mobile processors and this is not the first attempt to rectify it. But now Intel has significantly improved, if their technicalclaims are going to be true.
- Having two versions, silverthorne will be called the Atom Z series and Diamondville will be called the Atom N series, according to Intel. Intel and Lenovo jointly announced new IdeaPad series notebooks based on Atom processor.
- Intel atom is a 45 nm processor.
- Intel is having a series of of competiters in the field. The major ones are Nvidia Tegra based line of processors for MIDs and the mobile platforms like Puma from AMD. Tegra is claimed to have more processing efficiency than Intel atom processor.
- Intel has also announced the next generation atom processors based on Lincroft Architecture. It is codenamed Pineview. Intel will officially launch it in 2009.
Intel atom processor review
