Dual Core Atom: Intel D945GCLF2 & Atom 330

Last week, when going through the "what's new" list of a local supplier, I found a gem: an inexpensive mini-ITX motherboard with a dual core Atom processor. This little marvel, the Intel D945GCLF2, does not even show up on the Intel web site - other than being noted as announced during IDF. Interested in what it was capable of, I bought one on the spot.
The idea of very low power processors that are "fast enough" for many applications is starting to catch on. It would be fair to say that Asus took the world by fire with their original Eee PC, and followed it up with the highly successful Eee PC 901 - spawning a whole new "netbook" category of sub-notebook computers with enough processing power for Internet access and every day tasks. Mind you, Asus dropped the ball by not hitting its initially announced $199 Eee PC price tag, however there are now very capable netbooks around $300, like some models of the Acer AspireOne.

Asus then followed by releasing the Eee Box, bringing low powered tiny desktops to the public - sure they won't run Crysis, but they will do office apps and internet browsing, for less money, and while only sipping power compared to gaming boxes, and they can save even more money by avoiding the Microsoft Tax, by shipping a friendly Linux distribution pre-installed on the computer.
Low power computers are in fact enough for most people's use, and make excellent second, third or fourth computers in a family home. After all, how much power do you need to run Open Office and FireFox? Not much.

AMD Promises DirectX 11 in 2009

AMD has confirmed rumors that it is working on DirectX 11, announcing at CEATEC that it plans to release its first DirectX 11-compatible GPUs in 2009. The company also predicted an increase in general purpose computing on GPUs (GPGPU) and a transition to a 40nm fabricating standard, which ought to give graphics chip performance rates a considerable boost. In layman terms: Things are about to get a lot bigger and a lot prettier.


Bigger cache boosts performance of Athlon XP 3000+ processor.

AMD has won its game of "cache up" with Intel. The newest Athlon XP processors, code-named Barton, have double the Level 2 cache of previous models. Our first tests show the results: Barton-based Athlon XP 3000+ systems flew through productivity work, just topping the fastest Pentium 4 systems we've tested. AMD-based PCs also continue to triumph in the pricing contest, often selling for hundreds less than comparably configured P4 computers.
Record Breakers
We tested three high-end PCs carrying the Athlon XP 3000+: Polywell's $2155 Poly 880NF2-3000; Sys Technology's $3153 Sys Performance 3000+; and Falcon Northwest's $3275 Mach V Athlon XP 3000+. All of them had 1GB of 333-MHz DDR memory and a slew of high-end components, including ATI's Radeon 9700 Pro graphics card. The Polywell and Falcon machines ran Windows XP Home while the Sys ran Windows XP Professional (a negligible factor in our PC WorldBench 4 tests). Polywell sent a preproduction unit; the other two PCs were shipping models.
The Sys PC raced in with a score of 137 on our benchmark--the fastest result of any system to date. The Polywell checked in at 136; the Falcon, at 134--all insignificant performance differences.
By comparison, the zippiest 3.06-GHz P4 system we've tested, a previously reviewed $2860 Sys unit with 512MB of 1.066-GHz RDRAM, scored 132, just slightly lower than our top-performing Athlon XP 3000+ system.
Three additional 3.06-GHz P4 systems equipped with 1GB of memory that we tested for the January hyperthreading story averaged 121. That means the top Athlon XP PC scored about 13 percent higher, a noticeable difference.
For comparison we also tested AMD-based Poly and Falcon systems using the original, non-Barton Athlon XP 2800+ chip; PC WorldBench 4 results fell by 2 to 4 points. In several other tests, however--including Nero Burning ROM and Musicmatch--the 3000+ PCs performed slightly below the 2800+ systems.
The 3000+ systems' average time of 226 seconds in the AutoCAD test trounced the P4 PCs' average time of 273 seconds. The 3000+ PCs also outperformed the Intel-based systems in the Photoshop, Premiere, Nero Burning ROM, and Unreal Tournament tests; the P4 machines prevailed in the Musicmatch and Return to Castle Wolfenstein tests.
The 3000+ Skinny
AMD is shipping three new Barton-based processors: The Athlon XP 3000+ (running at 2.167 GHz), a new XP 2800+ (2.083 GHz), and the first XP 2500+ (1.833 GHz). All three include a 512KB L2 cache and a 333-MHz frontside bus. The 2800+ Barton-based CPU replaces an existing Athlon XP 2800+ chip that AMD shipped in small quantities to five PC vendors in fall 2002.
The original 2800+ chip, which runs at 2.25 GHz, is faster than both its replacement and the 3000+ chip. What gives? According to AMD, the 2800+ model number is based on the level of performance the chip delivers in PCs when running certain applications. The new 2800+ uses cache instead of megahertz to reach that level of application performance.
By the time you read this, all 2800+ chips shipping in PCs should be Barton-based models, according to AMD.
The company plans to ship an Athlon XP 3200+ processor by mid-2003, and in September it will debut its oft-delayed Athlon 64 CPU. AMD's future chip pairs 64-bit technology with a faster memory interface that should lead to improved performance.
Intel also plans several new chips, including a 3.2-GHz P4 that should be ready by April, says Kevin Krewell, general manager at research firm In-Stat/MDR. The company will follow that with a 3.4-GHz chip, code-named Prescott, offering twice the P4's current L2 cache (1MB) and improved hyperthreading, he says.
In the meantime, your best deal is likely a computer with AMD's Athlon XP 2800+ chip, since the prices of such systems are noticeably lower than those of 3000+ PCs (about $200) but their performance is not. And the price differences between Athlon XP 3000+ machines and 3-GHz P4 systems can run as high as $600.

Intel® Core™2 Processor with Viiv™ Technology

When you want a sensational high-definition (HD) experience, look no further than PCs with Intel® Core™2 processor with Viiv™ technology. Built on the latest hafnium-infused 45nm dual- and quad-core processors, these systems give you performance for HD audio and video and your most demanding applications.
Key components
The cutting edge is now. Every PC with an Intel Core 2 processor with Viiv technology is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo or Intel Core 2 Quad processor to give you the performance to run demanding applications and manage your HD entertainment. To see the list of all processors available for the Intel Core 2 processor with Viiv technology, see the PC Requirements page.
PCs built from the ground up for sensational high-definition experiences. The Intel Core 2 processor with Viiv technology includes the latest Intel chipsets with most everything you need to build a multimedia PC for HD content. Experience stunning sound from movies and music with up to 7.1 surround sound capabilities enabled by Intel® High Definition Audio (Intel® HD Audio). Get full 1080P video playback for movie clips, media streams, and the latest generation of HD video cameras with optional Intel® Clear Video Technology. And explore the Internet with 1GB-capable broadband Ethernet to quickly access high-definition content. The possibilities are endless.
Operating system
Microsoft Vista Home Premium* makes it easy to control and enjoy your digital media.

IBASE Reveals MI940 Mini-ITX motherboard with Intel® 945GC Express Chipset

IBASE Technology (TASDAQ: 8050), a leading supplier of industrial computers, reveals the MI940 Mini-ITX motherboard incorporating the Intel® 945GC Express chipset with GMA950 graphics core. The MI940 is designed with an LGA775 socket for Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor, Intel® Pentium® D Processor and Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor supporting HT Technology with system bus of 800/533MHz. It comes with two DDR2 memory sockets for up to 2GB system memory for faster system responsiveness.
MI940 is ideal for applications in the medical, point-of-sale, kiosk and gaming sectors. Featuring the Intel® 945GC integrated graphics and Chrontel CH7307, MI940 comes with CRT and DVI-D interfaces at the board edge. LAN functionality is provided by an Intel® 82574L PCI-Express Gigabit Ethernet controller.Aside from having a PCI and PCI-E (x1) slots, MI940 is expandable with the optional ID394 and ID395 daughter boards to support additional serial ports and TPM function respectively. Other useful features on board include four SATA II ports, six USB 2.0 ports, watchdog timer, digital I/O and two serial ports. Board dimensions are 170mm by 170mm.
MI940 FEATURES
LGA775 socket for Intel® Core™ 2 Duo / Pentium D / Pentium 4 CPU
Intel® 945GC Express chipset based
Supports up to 800MHz system bus
Two DDR2 DIMM for up to 2GB memory
Supports one Intel PCI-E Gigabit LAN
4x SATA II, 1x IDE, 6x USB 2.0, 2x COM, 5.1 channel high definition Audio
1 x PCI Express (x1), 1 x PCI (supports 2 Master)

AMD Phenom X4 9850 Processor

The new AMD Phenom X4 9850 is a great processor for its segment even though it is still not able to dominate in any fashion over the Intel quad-core options. Just as with the initial 2.3 GHz Phenom B2 launch, AMD still considers the Intel Core 2 Q6600 its primary competition, and I consider the Q9450 to be another potential threat as well. This new CPU is definitely getting AMD closer to its performance goals and any enthusiast or gamer looking for a ~$240 processor is going to have a fantastic experience with the 9850. The added performance and efficiency of the 2000 MHz memory controller and system bus add to the benefits of the 2.50 GHz clock rate producing the best fastest stock speed AMD quad-core CPU to date. Though I feel a bit like a broken record, we again should put a caveat on all of this: if AMD COULD put out a part to compete with Intel in the high-end processor segment they would. The 65nm process that the current generation Phenom is using just won't allow it and the engineers in Sunnyvale still have a lot of work ahead to start giving Intel competition in the high profit-margin area of $400+ processors.

AMD Phenom X3 8750 2.4 GHz Triple-Core Processor

AMD Phenom processors When we first heard about the Phenom triple-core processors, I have to admit I was very skeptical… As it stands now from the performance outlook, the AMD Phenom X3 series of parts it pretty intriguing. In most of our tests the performance of the X3 8750 CPU was better than dual-core processors including AMD's own Athlon X2 6000+ and the Intel X6800 2.93 GHz part.”
“I was expecting the X3 8750 to use less power than the quad-core X4 9850 CPU but the results are better than I expected… I could see the X3 line making a good choice for a high performance yet lower power HTPC box.”
“Another part of that value comes in the platform you can get with an AMD processor that you can't with Intel's own chipsets. The AMD 780G chipset is still our favorite option for integrated graphics solutions and if you are building a second system or one for family I really think the motherboard offers more than adequate performance for everyday use and general gaming. The same can NOT be said for Intel's IGP solutions though NVIDIA's options for Intel processors are decent as well a

Intel® Atom™-based 3.5-inch SBC-IB883

Intel processors,a leading supplier of industrial computers, today announced anotherIntel® Atom™-based 3.5-inch embedded board, the IB883. IB883 is a small footprint single board computer that is configured with the Intel® Atom™processor N270 at 1.6GHz, FSB533 and the Mobile Intel® 945GSE Express chipset with the ICH7M. IB883 provides greater flexibility for developers of embedded computing solutions. It is ideally suited for rugged and compact designs as in internet devices and applications in automation, industrial control, data acquisition, thin client and other embedded PC applications.
Measuring 102x147mm, IB883 features the Intel's Graphics Media Accelerator 950 core, making it compatible with Windows Vista Premium, and Chrontel CH7307 DVI accelerator to support display interfaces including VGA CRT, single channel LVDS and a DVI port. One DDR2 SO-DIMM on board implements up to 1GB of system memory. Dual Gigabit LAN is also available. Advanced connectivity and expansion interfaces are provided by one IDE, one high-speed SATA-II, two serial ports, four USB 2.0, a CF socket, along with a PCI Express x1 interface. IB883 samples are due in September 2008.

IB883 FEATURES
Supports Intel® Atom™processor, 1.6GHz speed, 533MHz FSB
1x DDR2 SO-DIMM, Max. 1GB
Intel® 945GSE VGA for CRT / LVDS
Onboard Chrontel CH7307 for DVI
2x Intel® PCI-E Gigabit LAN
1x SATA II, 4x USB 2.0, 2x COM, 1x CF