Currently, if you want a netbook, you’re going to get an Intel atom chipset. This is just understood. They are fast, have low heat and power consumption, and are the de facto standard. But AMD is looking to get in on some of that action, and they could be a serious threat to Intel.
AMD would like nothing more then to break in on the (currently) thriving netbook market segment. They’ve even already got a chipset to do it with, the “Yukon” platform, which from most indications, is actually better then the atom. It does consume a bit more power, so there’s a trade-off there, but it also delivers quite a bit more performance.
The other advantage that AMD is pushing is the fact that they aren’t going to restrict the ways that the chipset can be used. In other words, where Intel has stated that the screen on a atom chipset netbook can’t be larger then 10 inches, AMD is telling manufacturers to go nuts. That could really work in their advantage, and I hope it does. AMD has been struggling as of late, and I’d hate to see them go down in flames.
[via Tom's Hardware]
I have always rooted for AMD and i hope they can pull this off. I will soon be upgrading to their latest OS just to put my 2 cents to the competition and innovation that AMD has brought us and many Intel fans have benefited from.
What computer shopers must understand is that AMD’s place in the market is critical. Its the competition that lets us enjoy reasonably priced computing.
Without AMD, Intel will not supply reasonably priced product just from the kindness of thier little blue man heart…..
AMD has consistantly manufactured great product at compelling price, and thier platform partnership now making chipsets, and graphics with ATI, just makes them a better value.
Sure, Intel has the performance crown in the expensive areas, and on some sponsered benchmarking utilitys, but dollar for dollar, AMD is making some realy apealing product, and this yukon small form factor platform is another example.
I am currently running a Phenom II based system, and its amazing how much power AMD/ATI supplied me for the cash. A Phenom II 720 unlocked, for $149 and a 4870 graphics card for another $149 after rebate, a good 790 based chip set for $109, Intel just is not in that league value wise, and I defy a user to tell me which system is which in a blind test, its all about stretching your dollars right now, and thats why people should be looking to AMD for all thier system needs.
Frankly, I held off buying a netbook until AMD had thier own platform, its that important to me to support them as a user and system builder.
I hope they make a netbook with the ATI HD3200 IGP. That would be great. I hope they make a dual core also.
WHEN!!???
However the Via Nano is cheaper than the Atom and more powerful
if their chip can have a screen of any size, wouldn’t that also mean that if they made the screen bigger, the rest of the machine would have to be in proportion, making them bigger and in turn defeating the purpose of netbooks ?