Atom N470-equipped Netbook can have 2GB RAM – Atom N450 left in dark
Finally, it will be possible to use more than 1GB memory in netbooks. Intel’s upcoming Pine View processor, N470 is faster than the current Atom N280/N270 and runs at 1.83GHz clock speed. It is set to make its debut in March. Based on Pine Trail-M two chip platform has N470 CPU coupled with integrated graphics and NM10 southbridge that has the rest of the chipset.
But this is not the case with N450, an Atom processor scheduled to be launched on January 3rd next year. It will come with Condor Peak Wlan and with 1 to 2GB of DDR2 memory.
Intel suggests to use 20GB to 32GB SSD or 160GB hard disk. The choice of OS is Moblin Linux, but it is not mandatory to use it. The OEMs and manufactures are free to opt other operating systems.
Interestingly, you have to use battery with 4-cells or less and allowed screen sizes are upto 10.2-inches.
Commentary: This is not a good news for the netbook market. Here is few reasons:
- 4-cell battery: Currently, plethora of netbooks are using batteries with 6-cells or some even use 9-cells. Excellent battery life has been one of the core reasons netbooks are so popular. If Intel throws-in such a limit to the mix, it can be hazardous for the netbook market.
- 160GB HDD: It has been just few weeks that manufactures have started to churn-out netbooks that have 250GB or 320GB hard disks.
- 32GB SSD: Imagine the huge Windows 7 installation on that small SSD. Add in the space for pagefile and hibernation and you will be left even less space!
- 10.2-inch screen limit: Not allowing the netbook vendors to use the Atom N470 processor in netbooks using more than 10.2-inch display will hurt Intel only as it will allow the vendors and manufactures to instead use the AMD Neo CPUs. Foolish move, Intel
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There was never a restriction on RAM from Intel but from Microsoft. Now that Windows 7 is out, you can see for yourself all the netbooks coming with old CPUs, windows 7 and 2GB RAM installed. Not to mention “it will be possible to use more than 1GB memory in netbooks” is wrong in any case since it was never impossible with XP either, you just had to do it yourself. On some netbooks this is a lid you open on the bottom and you’re done.