May 29th, 2008

VIA launches 'Nano' processor family

Posted by Andrew Nusca @ 8:18 am

Categories: CPU and Processors, VIA

Tags: Nano, NanoBGA2, 100mW, Processors, Semiconductors, Hardware, Components, Andrew Nusca

VIA seems to be making lots of waves these days.

This morning, the company announced a family of five 64-bit, superscalar, speculative out-of-order processors that use 65 nanometer process technology for enhanced power efficiency and thermal management within a compact 21mm x 21mm nanoBGA2 package.

Or, in layman’s terms, processors specifically designed for the traditional desktop and notebook PC markets, particularly for demanding computing, entertainment and connectivity applications, such as Blu-ray HD video playback and PC gaming.

Here’s the breakdown:

VIA Nano Processor Family

The processors have an idle power as low as 100mW (0.1W), making them notable for green and silent PCs, thin and light notebooks and mini-laptops.

VIA says the Nano processors offer as much as four times the performance as its C7 processor family within the same power range to extend the performance per watt ratio. The processors have pin compatibility with VIA C7 processors for easy upgrade and development.

Here are tables comparing the Nano to the C7, as well as to Intel’s current Celeron offerings.