Specs Leak on New Intel Atom CPUs

The rumored Pineview chipset will make a number of improvements to Intel's already-popular Atom.

Intel’s next iteration of the popular Atom chip will be smaller, faster, and more power efficient, according to new rumors about the so-called Pineview CPU. The hard facts come from notebook makers cited by Taiwanese news outlet Digitimes, which has consistently churned up accurate netbook rumors in the past.

According to the paper, the Pineview processor will come in both single- and dual-core versions, with a northbridge that has been tucked onboard for a 60 percent smaller footprint on the motherboard. It should also be available clocked faster than the current chips.

The onboard video processor will remain the GMA 950, but clock frequency will increase from 133MHz to 200MHz. Power consumption will drop, though not significantly, from 8 watts when running at full bore to 7 watts.

Per the same sources, the chips are set to begin appearing in notebooks in the second half of 2009.