A dual-core option for the Intel Atom processor did take a while coming. There are a couple of noteworthy features that draw our attention to the Atom 330. One, there isn’t an upgrade to the clock speed over the N230, which offered 1.6GHz. Two, the power envelope of the 330 is four units higher at 8W than the single-core processor released earlier. Designed primarily for nettops, the 330 is power-efficient and by virtue of its dual-core nature, offers 1MB of cache (twice as much as the earlier Atom). The chip supports DDR2 667MHz.
Pricing and Availability: The Intel Atom 330 processor is the most economical of all dual-core options, with a price tag of $40 for 1,000-unit quantity. Computer manufacturers can make merry once the chip is launched this month. It will come with the Intel 945GC Express chipset or the Little Falls2.
Watch This: Although the Atom 330 has a thermal power rating of 8W, which is significantly higher than its 4W predecessor 230, other specs put it marginally ahead. Besides, a dual-core cache upgrade is certainly something to take pride in. The Atom 330 processor is a decent bet for small desktops or nettops (Atom-based desktops).
Word around the Web:
Tony Smith of RegHardware says:
Much depends on how it’s implemented. If Intel stays true to form, the 330 will comprise two 230s in a single package.
Joel Hruska from Arstechnica says:
As far as projected performance, Atom 330 should be significantly faster than the 230 in any application that’s capable of taking advantage of the chip’s multiple cores.
Source:Cnet
