Intel lets slip first dual-core Atom
IDF Intel has quietly introduced its first dual-core Atom processor, the 330, and a new motherboard to go with it. — The 45nm 330's a low-power part and - as the lack of an ‘N’ prefix shows - it's a desktop chip. Intel didn't say what clock speed …
Context & Ripple Effects
Intel had consolidated its low-power products under the Atom name in August 2008, while also adding a smaller solid-state drive aimed at netbooks and mini-desktops. The Atom 330 extends that positioning from a single component into a desktop-ready combination of processor and motherboard.
First-order effects
- Intel adds dual-core processing to its desktop-oriented Atom range and supplies a matching motherboard, giving compact-desktop builders a defined platform rather than a processor alone.
Second-order effects
- System builders targeting mini-desktops can reduce platform-selection work by adopting Intel's paired CPU-and-board design, concentrating more of the build around Intel's component choices.
Third-order effects
- If Intel continues pairing low-power processors with reference hardware, Atom's competitive role shifts from a low-cost chip line toward a more controlled small-system platform.
The trend: Low-power computing is moving from standalone processors toward packaged platforms designed to simplify compact-device development.