href="http://laptop-computer-planet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Intel-Atom-Cedar-Trail-chip.jpg">
class="alignright size-full wp-image-9342" title="Intel Atom Cedar Trail chip" src="http://laptop-computer-planet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Intel-Atom-Cedar-Trail-chip.jpg" alt="Intel Atom Cedar Trail chip" width="216" height="220" />The netbook isn’t dead, no matter what you might have heard. The mini-laptops are still being developed along with the hardware that resides within them. Just today
href="http://newsroom.intel.com/community/intel_newsroom/blog/2011/12/28/intel-begins-shipping-new-intel-atom-processors-new-features-great-battery-life-on-tap?cid=rss-251533-c1-272397" target="_blank">Intel announced they had begun shipping the latest Intel Atom processing chips for netbooks, the 32nm
title="Intel Cedar trail" href="http://laptop-computer-planet.com/blog/tag/intel-cedar-trail/" target="_blank">Cedar Trail processors.
According to Intel the two chips they released today, the dual-core 1.60GHz Intel Atom N2600 and dual-core 1.86GHz Intel Atom N2800, will provide netbooks with big gains in performance without impacting battery performance. Intel says netbooks with the Cedar Trail processors should be able to achieve up to 10 hours of operating battery life, weeks of standby battery life and the ability to playback 1080p HD content without issues.
Other things claimed by Intel include graphics performance boosts of up to 2x (200%) and 20% better power efficiency compared to the last gen. Intel Atom processors, the chips shipping in most netbooks today.
The new Cedar Trail chips feature improved integrated graphics –Intel GMA 3600 for the N2600 and Intel GMA 3650 for the N2800– which help achieve the 1080p HD video playback Intel boats. The graphics capabilities aren’t going to touch AMD’s
title="AMD Fusion" href="http://laptop-computer-planet.com/blog/tag/amd-fusion/" target="_blank">Fusion APUs, as we’ve seen previously this year
title="Intel based netbooks will be getting better in the near future" href="http://laptop-computer-planet.com/blog/2011/08/29/intel-based-netbooks-will-be-getting-better-in-the-near-future/" target="_blank">in benchmarks, but compared to previous Intel integrated graphics chips for Atom processors the improvements are considerable.
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However even with the boast in graphics performance the average netbook does come with a 1024×600 resolution display, which makes playing 1080p HD (1920×1080) video kind of silly if you’re not outputting the content to a bigger screen over HDMI.
As mentioned in the first paragraph netbooks are far from dead. The recent drop-off in popularity will likely push netbook makers to improve certain things that have held the netbook back, things like performance.
Specs. for the new Intel Atom chips:
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valign="top" width="213">
valign="top" width="213">Intel Atom N2600
valign="top" width="213">Intel Atom N2800
valign="top" width="213">Processor Frequency
valign="top" width="213">1.60 GHz
valign="top" width="213">1.86 GHz
valign="top" width="213">Number of Cores/Threads
valign="top" width="213">2/4
valign="top" width="213">2/4
valign="top" width="213">Intel Smart Cache
valign="top" width="213">2x 512 KB L2
valign="top" width="213">2x 512 KB L2
valign="top" width="213">Graphics
valign="top" width="213">Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3600
valign="top" width="213">Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3650
valign="top" width="213">Integrated Memory Controller
valign="top" width="213">Yes
valign="top" width="213">Yes
valign="top" width="213">Memory Support
valign="top" width="213">Yes
valign="top" width="213">Yes
valign="top" width="213">Processor Manufacturing Process
valign="top" width="213">Single-Channel DDR3 800 MHz
valign="top" width="213">Single-Channel DDR3 1066 MHz
valign="top" width="213">Processor Package Size
valign="top" width="213">32nm
valign="top" width="213">32nm
valign="top" width="213">Intel Express Chipset
valign="top" width="213">NM10
valign="top" width="213">NM10
valign="top" width="213">Chipset Package Size
valign="top" width="213">17mm x 17mm
valign="top" width="213">17mm x 17mm
Full list of feature and benefits for the new Intel Atom chips:
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valign="top" width="241">Features
valign="top" width="294">Benefits
valign="top" width="241">Intel® Atom™ Microarchitecture and 32nm Process Manufacturing Technology
valign="top" width="294">A purpose-built, low-power processor that delivers an affordable basic computing experience.
valign="top" width="241">Small Form Factor Processor Package Size
valign="top" width="294">The lead-free2, halogen-free3 Micro-Flip Chip package is 60 percent smaller in netbooks (22mm x 22mm) than a notebook processor (35mm x 35mm). This saves system board real estate in a much thinner and smaller industrial design, enabling small form factors.
valign="top" width="241">Intel® Rapid Start Technology
valign="top" width="294">Alternative standby mode using flash-based storage allows fast resume and enables longer standby battery life, with faster access to Internet, data, and applications.
valign="top" width="241">Intel® Deeper Sleep (C6)
valign="top" width="294">Saves power by flushing cache data to system memory during periods of inactivity to reduce power consumption and enable longer battery life.
valign="top" width="241">Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology
valign="top" width="294">Multiple voltage and frequency operating points provide optimal performance at the lowest power. This allows for better matching of performance to application demand.
valign="top" width="241">Low Thermal Design Power (TDP)
valign="top" width="294">Low TDP enables thinner, lighter, more compact and portable netbooks by reducing the cooling requirements. Enhanced Data Prefetcher and Enhanced Register Access Manager Anticipates data the processor is likely to need and stores the information within the processor’s L2 cache, resulting in improved performance because the processor doesn’t have to wait as long for data.
valign="top" width="241">Intel® Smart Cache
valign="top" width="294">Cache and bus design for efficient data sharing, providing enhanced performance, responsiveness, and power savings.
valign="top" width="241">Integrated Graphics and Memory Controller
valign="top" width="294">Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3650 and 3600 combined with the integrated memory controller provides enhanced performance and system responsiveness.
valign="top" width="241">Support for Windows* and MeeGo/Tizen* Operating Systems
valign="top" width="294">Choice of operating systems for your netbook.
valign="top" width="241">Lower Power Consumption Over Previous Generation
valign="top" width="294">Allows consumers to stay on the go for longer periods of time.
valign="top" width="241">Support for Wi-Fi*, WiMAX*, and 3G Communication
valign="top" width="294">Consumer choice and flexibility for online access inside and outside the home.
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