Intel Atom low-power processors

The Intel Atom processor is the name of the latest family of low-power processors designed specifically for mobile internet devices and a new class of Internet-centric computers arriving later this year.

The company also announced the Centrino Atom processor for MID platforms, consisting of multiple chips that enable the best internet experience in a pocketable device.

The processor is based on an entirely new microarchitecture designed specifically for small devices and low power, while maintaining the Core 2 Duo instruction set compatibility consumers are accustomed to when using a standard PC and the internet. The design also includes support for multiple threads for better performance and increased system responsiveness.

All this is on a chip that measures less than 25 mm², making it the company's smallest and lowest power processor yet.

The chips, previously codenamed Silverthorne and Diamondville, will be manufactured on 45 nm process with hi-k metal gate technology. The chips have a thermal design power specification in 0.6-2.5 W range and scale to 1.8 Ghz speeds depending on user need. By comparison, today's mainstream mobile Core 2 Duo processors have a TDP in the 35 W range.