Dual Core Atom & ION2 Netbooks Imminent

Author	Gordon Kelly
Published	13th Oct 2009

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Intel's weedy Atom has come in for a lot of abuse since it first appeared on the scene and by contrast Nvidia's ION chip takes a lot of credit for papering over the shortcomings. So what if both suddenly upped their game?

That appears to be what is on the cards with eeepc.it reporting a spec leak for the new Asus Eee PC '1201N' netbook (pictured) shows it could be the first dual core Atom netbook on the market. By contrast Nvidia reports it will have second generation ION architecture ready to go before the end of the year.

Looking at the CPU side of things first and the 1201N appears to read like the netbook many have always wanted with a 1.6GHZ Intel Atom N330 Dual Core processor backed up with Nvidia ION graphics, 3GB RAM, a hefty 320GB HDD and Windows 7. The machine's 12in display will likely see many question whether it is really a netbook at all, but I suspect consumers don't care if the price and battery life are right.

If you're impressed by ION however you should be thrilled to bits by ION2 since Fudzilla writes that Nvidia's chipset boss has confirmed it will ship to manufacturers before the end of the year. ION2 allegedly has double the number of shaders of ION and should bring substantially improved performance. That said, whether manufacturers can turn around ION2 in time for graphically dazzling netbooks by Christmas seems very doubtful.

Still, if you do receive a netbook under your Christmas tree this year you can feel warm and fuzzy inside knowing impending next generation architecture will make it a laughing stock within a month or two. Season's greetings!

Links:
via eeepc.it (Translated)
Fudzilla

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Max Power said on 14th October 2009

@Andrew

Netbook "rules" are there by Microsoft so companies can't put XP onto non-Atom systems. With Windows 7 it stops being a problem so the term netbook... more

Andrew Violet said on 14th October 2009

Thats not the issue at all we all know about those rules. I'm talking about the fact that intel doesn't want to sell any atom 330's for use in netbooks - they think that they shoul... more

betelgeus said on 14th October 2009

lets face it the atom should be put up against a wall and shot,i use an nc10 res and gpu no problems its the useless cpu.

stelios said on 15th October 2009

since samsung example is selling the x120 with an intel su2700 cpu and with GMA 4500 graphics for around 470 pounds, i would be very (pleasantly) surprised really if asus doesn't a... more

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