August 27, 2009 at 13:44Intel-compatible netbook platforms: Pine Trail, CULV, Ion. And their near future (2009-2010)
I wrote a lot about netbooks on platforms incompatible with Intel (in particular ARM) - 1 , 2 , 3 .
It's time to talk about the mainstream - netbooks with Intel processors and processors compatible with them (including VIA, AMD). In other words, about Intel-compatible platforms. It is important for many users that they can install Windows. (You can also install Linux, Sun Solaris, FreeBSD, OS / 2, Android, and many other operating systems on them, of course).
Next, we will talk about three aging netbook platforms - Intel Atom, VIA C7, AMD Yukon , actively developing CULV , Nvidia Ion , which was released to netbook buyers this week , and of course, the upcomingIntel's Pine Trail , due out in 2009 (but not the fact that it will). And, of course, about some netbooks on it.
So, two words about the platforms themselves.
Outdated technology :
1. The Intel Atom platform (N270) does not need to be introduced to the netbook market. The default netbook today is assembled on Intel Atom. This is a low-power, single-core, moderate-performance solution running at 1.6 GHz (N270), with the latest modification being 1.66 GHz (N280). It is in netbooks of almost all manufacturers, including the classics of the genre - Asus.
2. AMD Yukon was released January 8, 2009 and was focused on ultraportable laptops (ultra-portable notebook). Do you have a favorite netbook on this platform? I do not have.
3. VIA C-7 ULV - modest and low-power (from 3.5 watts), cheap and low-performance (even compared to Intel Atom) processors with frequencies from 1.0 to 1.6 GHz. Specifications and power comparison with Intel . The choice for a budget platform where low power consumption is extremely critical. I actually love VIA. But they did not convince me with this decision!
Outdated, new and emerging platforms.
4. Nvidia Ion was developed for a long time and showed all kinds of hopes - and finally, netbooks on Ion began to appear on sale. The platform includes NVIDIA's GeForce 9400M (MCP79) GPU, DDR3-1066 (!) Or DDR2-800 SDRAM, and the Intel Atom we already know, which is also used outside of it. Microsoft has certified the platform as compatible with Vista, and is certified as compatible with Windows 7. The platform is compatible with DirectX 9 and 10. But most importantly, it is the first actually 100% HD-video compatible solution. That is, strictly speaking, she can play 1080p HD (high-definition) video with true-fidelity 7.1 surround sound. Samsung N510 got out of line and entered the buyers with DirectX 9. Other netbooks on Ion will be on DirectX 10. Lenovo machines (there will be Ion modification S12), Asus, Acer, Samsung (N510 on Win7) and other manufacturers will appear all at once after October 22 - when Windows 7 comes out. Many already today dream of such a machine, and save money. On practice, This is a great netbook to watch quality video without problems and without lags. For many consumers, this completely exhausts the necessary and sufficient functionality of the netbook (especially if the house already has a powerful gaming PC, or a modern game console). That is, there are clearly expectations that it will be in some way - the perfect solution to the idea of a netbook.
5. CULV (Consumer Ultra-Low Voltage) is fully developed by intel, but not for netbooks, and for the so-called ultraportable, often super-portable laptops. As we understand, the border between the classes of devices is very arbitrary and often artificial, and these solutions penetrate the netbook market (as well as near-netbooks, and already-not-netbooks) from above. Single-core processors operate at frequencies from 1.2 GHz (Celeron M ULV 723) to 1.4 GHz (Core 2 Solo SU3500), dual-core processors from 1.2 GHz (Pentium SU2300) to 1.6 GHz (Core 2 Duo SU9600). High-performance modern architectural solutions allow them to easily beat the performance of conventional processors of comparable clock speed. It is important that they are very small, their power is 10 watts at a supply voltage of 1.05 volts, which allows them to be used in ultraportable solutions. Such processors are the basis for creating much more efficient productive netbooks (and light notebooks) compared to Intel Atom. However, they will be significantly more expensive than the usual netbooks. The official price of the Core 2 Duo SU960 is $ 289 (there;). The official price of modern ARM processors for netbooks is from $ 8. The final price of the device differs even more significantly (in monetary terms). This allows many to consider CULV-devices not netbooks at all, and not to consider them as netbooks.
Here is an example. We all consider the MSI U100 a netbook, right? But today officially announced MSI Wind U200 (AKA MSI Wind12).
The diagonal is 12.1 inches, weight 1.4 kg with a three-cell battery, on the processor Core 2 Solo 1.4 GHz. The processor is significantly more productive than Intel Atom. I don’t even want to think about the price.
Is this a netbook, do you think? That's it. Rather, it is a small but not the lightest laptop.
6. On the block diagram - a new platform from Intel: Pine Trail. We see that the Intel PineView processor (Intel Atom N450) itself includes both a memory controller and a graphics controller. This allows you to reduce all overhead costs, simplify the design, increase the performance of the entire system as a whole and at the same time reduce energy consumption. In a word, this is what I called bprogressive architectural solution .
No matter how we criticize Intel's monopoly, it remains a recognized flagship and innovation leader in the design, development and production of processors.
When released? The platform was initially promised in 2009. Then it was expected in October on netbooks . After that, a release was planned in the 4th quarter of 2009. Now there are rumors that it will be released in 2010, and the release dates are no longer called. They say that the platform is ready. But Intel does not want to rock the netbook market, Imagine! Various versions of what is happening are called, but all analysts agree on one thing - Intel does not want to eat its own market for processors that are still successfully sold, and is trying to extract everything that is possible from it. That is, the reasons for the delay are far from technical, and have a purely marketing nature - this is what everyone agrees on.
Well, what about netbooks on the Pine Trail? Where to go and what to do manufacturers and buyers of netbooks?
As I understand this situation, netbook manufacturers associate all their hopes with Pine Trail.
Asus and Acer suspended the development of new netbooks until the 1st quarter of 2010. These companies hope to release intel Pine Trail by this time. What will they do now? Apparently produce expensive and heavy CULV. In fashion - 11.6 and 12.1 inch screens, and not the lightest weight. Fans of light netbooks - I have bad forecasts for you for these six months in the sense of the Intel platform. You will have to wait until 2010, or think about ARM.
Yesterday’s news only strengthens me in this opinion. It became known that MSI postponed the U150 until 2010 . This, alas, is already official information. Here is such a machine delayed:
It has a lot of goodies - in particular, a resistive touchscreen, and Windows 7. At the same time, MSI officiallystated that Intel will introduce Pine Trail at CES 2010. Thus, rumors about the delay in the release of this platform, alas, grew into confidence and received full confirmation.
What will MSI do in the near future? Yesterday, he released MSI Wind U200 on CULV, and he does not have to be a prophet to understand that he will release CULV. And in early September, MSI launches Wind U210 on the aforementioned AMD Yukon platform. Specifications? Painfully familiar. 1GB of memory, 160GB HDD, Windows XP, prices start at $ 379 (there, with them). Nothing new.
And so (in the sense of netbooks) manufacturers will sit and look at Intel until the release.
Summary.
Unlike ARM, on Intel compatible platforms, apparently there will be no special fan and no bright breakthroughs in 2009 and 2010. At the end of 2009, netbooks for Ion and Windows 7 will be released. 2010 will mark the release of the next Intel platform for netbooks (Pine Trail). But it will surely increase the performance of netbooks, as well as, apparently, the price. Which will inevitably affect the cost of intel compatible netbooks. The leader in the design and manufacture of processors, most likely, will remain, as before, Intel. The main operating system on the platform will remain Windows, primarily Windows XP and Windows 7.
Consequences.
1. Consumers who are interested in light and inexpensive netbooks (size & price!) Should not wait in the next year and a half for their dream machine in Intel - Microsoft. It makes sense for them to begin to look closely at the netbooks corresponding to their expectations on other, cheaper and mobile platforms. Very interesting devices may appear here, although they will be raw at first, and the software (for sure - until the 2nd quarter of 2010) will leave much to be desired.
2. For consumers who are interested in productivity growth regardless of price, it makes sense to think about more complete (and expensive!) Machines, for example on CULV, in weight and size similar to today's large netbooks. Here everything will be rather dull and smooth, but reliable. And expensive.
3. I don’t think that Intel will appear in 2009-2010 with machines that will at least make us happy as small Asus eeePC 701 and especially Asus eeePC 901 small netbooks pleased. Alas.
You cannot enter the same river twice.
It's time to talk about the mainstream - netbooks with Intel processors and processors compatible with them (including VIA, AMD). In other words, about Intel-compatible platforms. It is important for many users that they can install Windows. (You can also install Linux, Sun Solaris, FreeBSD, OS / 2, Android, and many other operating systems on them, of course).
Next, we will talk about three aging netbook platforms - Intel Atom, VIA C7, AMD Yukon , actively developing CULV , Nvidia Ion , which was released to netbook buyers this week , and of course, the upcomingIntel's Pine Trail , due out in 2009 (but not the fact that it will). And, of course, about some netbooks on it.
So, two words about the platforms themselves.
Outdated technology :
1. The Intel Atom platform (N270) does not need to be introduced to the netbook market. The default netbook today is assembled on Intel Atom. This is a low-power, single-core, moderate-performance solution running at 1.6 GHz (N270), with the latest modification being 1.66 GHz (N280). It is in netbooks of almost all manufacturers, including the classics of the genre - Asus.
2. AMD Yukon was released January 8, 2009 and was focused on ultraportable laptops (ultra-portable notebook). Do you have a favorite netbook on this platform? I do not have.
3. VIA C-7 ULV - modest and low-power (from 3.5 watts), cheap and low-performance (even compared to Intel Atom) processors with frequencies from 1.0 to 1.6 GHz. Specifications and power comparison with Intel . The choice for a budget platform where low power consumption is extremely critical. I actually love VIA. But they did not convince me with this decision!
Outdated, new and emerging platforms.
4. Nvidia Ion was developed for a long time and showed all kinds of hopes - and finally, netbooks on Ion began to appear on sale. The platform includes NVIDIA's GeForce 9400M (MCP79) GPU, DDR3-1066 (!) Or DDR2-800 SDRAM, and the Intel Atom we already know, which is also used outside of it. Microsoft has certified the platform as compatible with Vista, and is certified as compatible with Windows 7. The platform is compatible with DirectX 9 and 10. But most importantly, it is the first actually 100% HD-video compatible solution. That is, strictly speaking, she can play 1080p HD (high-definition) video with true-fidelity 7.1 surround sound. Samsung N510 got out of line and entered the buyers with DirectX 9. Other netbooks on Ion will be on DirectX 10. Lenovo machines (there will be Ion modification S12), Asus, Acer, Samsung (N510 on Win7) and other manufacturers will appear all at once after October 22 - when Windows 7 comes out. Many already today dream of such a machine, and save money. On practice, This is a great netbook to watch quality video without problems and without lags. For many consumers, this completely exhausts the necessary and sufficient functionality of the netbook (especially if the house already has a powerful gaming PC, or a modern game console). That is, there are clearly expectations that it will be in some way - the perfect solution to the idea of a netbook.
5. CULV (Consumer Ultra-Low Voltage) is fully developed by intel, but not for netbooks, and for the so-called ultraportable, often super-portable laptops. As we understand, the border between the classes of devices is very arbitrary and often artificial, and these solutions penetrate the netbook market (as well as near-netbooks, and already-not-netbooks) from above. Single-core processors operate at frequencies from 1.2 GHz (Celeron M ULV 723) to 1.4 GHz (Core 2 Solo SU3500), dual-core processors from 1.2 GHz (Pentium SU2300) to 1.6 GHz (Core 2 Duo SU9600). High-performance modern architectural solutions allow them to easily beat the performance of conventional processors of comparable clock speed. It is important that they are very small, their power is 10 watts at a supply voltage of 1.05 volts, which allows them to be used in ultraportable solutions. Such processors are the basis for creating much more efficient productive netbooks (and light notebooks) compared to Intel Atom. However, they will be significantly more expensive than the usual netbooks. The official price of the Core 2 Duo SU960 is $ 289 (there;). The official price of modern ARM processors for netbooks is from $ 8. The final price of the device differs even more significantly (in monetary terms). This allows many to consider CULV-devices not netbooks at all, and not to consider them as netbooks.
Here is an example. We all consider the MSI U100 a netbook, right? But today officially announced MSI Wind U200 (AKA MSI Wind12).
The diagonal is 12.1 inches, weight 1.4 kg with a three-cell battery, on the processor Core 2 Solo 1.4 GHz. The processor is significantly more productive than Intel Atom. I don’t even want to think about the price.
Is this a netbook, do you think? That's it. Rather, it is a small but not the lightest laptop.
6. On the block diagram - a new platform from Intel: Pine Trail. We see that the Intel PineView processor (Intel Atom N450) itself includes both a memory controller and a graphics controller. This allows you to reduce all overhead costs, simplify the design, increase the performance of the entire system as a whole and at the same time reduce energy consumption. In a word, this is what I called bprogressive architectural solution .
No matter how we criticize Intel's monopoly, it remains a recognized flagship and innovation leader in the design, development and production of processors.
When released? The platform was initially promised in 2009. Then it was expected in October on netbooks . After that, a release was planned in the 4th quarter of 2009. Now there are rumors that it will be released in 2010, and the release dates are no longer called. They say that the platform is ready. But Intel does not want to rock the netbook market, Imagine! Various versions of what is happening are called, but all analysts agree on one thing - Intel does not want to eat its own market for processors that are still successfully sold, and is trying to extract everything that is possible from it. That is, the reasons for the delay are far from technical, and have a purely marketing nature - this is what everyone agrees on.
Well, what about netbooks on the Pine Trail? Where to go and what to do manufacturers and buyers of netbooks?
As I understand this situation, netbook manufacturers associate all their hopes with Pine Trail.
Asus and Acer suspended the development of new netbooks until the 1st quarter of 2010. These companies hope to release intel Pine Trail by this time. What will they do now? Apparently produce expensive and heavy CULV. In fashion - 11.6 and 12.1 inch screens, and not the lightest weight. Fans of light netbooks - I have bad forecasts for you for these six months in the sense of the Intel platform. You will have to wait until 2010, or think about ARM.
Yesterday’s news only strengthens me in this opinion. It became known that MSI postponed the U150 until 2010 . This, alas, is already official information. Here is such a machine delayed:
It has a lot of goodies - in particular, a resistive touchscreen, and Windows 7. At the same time, MSI officiallystated that Intel will introduce Pine Trail at CES 2010. Thus, rumors about the delay in the release of this platform, alas, grew into confidence and received full confirmation.
What will MSI do in the near future? Yesterday, he released MSI Wind U200 on CULV, and he does not have to be a prophet to understand that he will release CULV. And in early September, MSI launches Wind U210 on the aforementioned AMD Yukon platform. Specifications? Painfully familiar. 1GB of memory, 160GB HDD, Windows XP, prices start at $ 379 (there, with them). Nothing new.
And so (in the sense of netbooks) manufacturers will sit and look at Intel until the release.
Summary.
Unlike ARM, on Intel compatible platforms, apparently there will be no special fan and no bright breakthroughs in 2009 and 2010. At the end of 2009, netbooks for Ion and Windows 7 will be released. 2010 will mark the release of the next Intel platform for netbooks (Pine Trail). But it will surely increase the performance of netbooks, as well as, apparently, the price. Which will inevitably affect the cost of intel compatible netbooks. The leader in the design and manufacture of processors, most likely, will remain, as before, Intel. The main operating system on the platform will remain Windows, primarily Windows XP and Windows 7.
Consequences.
1. Consumers who are interested in light and inexpensive netbooks (size & price!) Should not wait in the next year and a half for their dream machine in Intel - Microsoft. It makes sense for them to begin to look closely at the netbooks corresponding to their expectations on other, cheaper and mobile platforms. Very interesting devices may appear here, although they will be raw at first, and the software (for sure - until the 2nd quarter of 2010) will leave much to be desired.
2. For consumers who are interested in productivity growth regardless of price, it makes sense to think about more complete (and expensive!) Machines, for example on CULV, in weight and size similar to today's large netbooks. Here everything will be rather dull and smooth, but reliable. And expensive.
3. I don’t think that Intel will appear in 2009-2010 with machines that will at least make us happy as small Asus eeePC 701 and especially Asus eeePC 901 small netbooks pleased. Alas.
You cannot enter the same river twice.