Intel® Atom™ Processor N450: Radical Changes on Netbook

Intel® Atom™ N270/280 to Intel® Atom™ Processor N450/N470 Architecture

 

The scheme show us the architecture changes from long based Intel FSB to Intel DMI, by integrating Northbridge tasks, such as onboard graphics and memory controller into Processor. This  bring to lower power usage since there’s only 2 chips left. Just like Intel 1156 with P55 chipset. With onboard graphics integrated in the processor, there’s no need for additional onboard graphics chipset such nVidia ION, which surely use more power. Hence, the new onboard graphics GMA3150 seems not getting much better than previous GMA950. the processor does have about 10% increase in performance. But for me the aim of this improvement is only to decrease the bill of material, so to speak this kind of architecture will be getting more cheaper. But by doing so, the user also get benefit by having a less power usage (from 3 to 2 chips) which lead to higher battery life for netbook. It’s almost the same battery performance against the Z520 with US15W (2 chips with Northbridge with Southbridge in one chip) which use a total about 4.5W.

 

 

P.S: The IGP name is outdated (it’s for Intel US15W), it should be GMA3150 for Pineview-M.

 

Here’s 3 typical block diagram of Intel architecture for netbook which available on the market.

Intel Atom N2XX with Intel GMCH 945GSE+ICH7-M

Intel Atom Z5XX with Intel SCH US15W

Intel Atom N4XX with Intel NM10 Express Chipset