The VIA Nano CPU

VIA Nano™ Processor

The first 64-bit, superscalar processors in VIA's x86 platform portfolio, VIA Nano processors have been specifically designed to revitalize traditional desktop and notebook PC markets, delivering truly optimized performance for the most demanding computing, entertainment and connectivity applications.

Building on the market-leading energy efficiency of the VIA C7® processor family, the VIA Nano processor family offers as much as four times the performance within the same power range to extend VIA's performance per watt leadership, while pin compatibility with VIA C7 processors will ensure a smooth transition for OEMs and motherboard vendors, providing them with an easy upgrade path for current system or board designs.

The VIA Nano processor family leverages Fujitsu's advanced 65 nanometer process technology for the ideal blend of powerful performance and energy efficiency. Underscoring VIA's leadership in processor miniaturization, the VIA Nano processor comes with ultra compact dimensions, enabling a new generation of small form factor designs and new, smaller applications for the x86 platform.

• Package size: Compact VIA NanoBGA2 package (21mm x 21mm)
• Die size: 7.650mm x 8.275mm (63.3 square mm)

About the VIA Nano Processor Family

Below, you can see an image that shows various consumption info for this new VIA family of processors. You can click on the image, to see it slightly bigger.







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At this moment, the CPU's are still not available for the desktop. VIA is looking for a 3rd Quarter availability.

Now there is one catch. Since the departure of Socket 7 cpu's, when all the manufacturers were building for the same socket, it DOES mean that you will have to buy a new motherboard for this CPU, just as you would, if you wanted to go from an Intel to an AMD and vice versa.

Via, a company with a long history and many products.

I thought to start with this company, since recently, they announced a few good things. Mostly of interest is their new CPU line, the VIA Nano - Isaiah.

Some of you might remember a cpu company called "Centaur". Well, they are part of VIA. Geesh, have I been out of the news updates or what?.

Anyway, the company's that I am aware of, that have rights to the x86 architecture are/were:
AMD, IBM, INTEL, VIA, SiS and a few other companies that have either closed, are not in the PC market anymore or have been bought out by other companies.

This CPU is VIA's 1st 64bit CPU, they are similar I guess to the Intel Celeron - M, since that is also what they compare it with. I say this, according to their site, this is the one that it is being compared with. You can see their own charts and info here. It looks like it will be a great mobile Cpu for people that do NOT need multi-core solutions, and for desktop users looking for a HTPC with a very small energy footprint! It seems to be a very attractive solution for people that will NOT need to play games, or very limited gaming or older single threaded games. That is my assumption at least. It also has a lot of security features not found in the Intel/Amd camp. This would be also an ideal CPU for business's or people looking to have a very small box, no really!

If you go through their site, you will see how small their motherboards are! I would NOT have any issue AT all, to have a system, based on this CPU @ 1.8GHz and their S3 Chroma 440 GTX as my main use computer! I normally browse the web, do emails, have some other things going on like video conversion from time to time. I am NOT the kind of person that would convert a video file, and want it finished in 1 minute! I do have a life, and don't mind if something will take a while to complete, even doing seti@home or folding@home etc, i think it will be ok. Sure, it will not be the fastest and best, but then again, if I want to live away from the grid, be with solar or other alternate power supply, this will fit the bill perfectly. At the moment, I have a power hungry P4 3GHz - 530. Yes, I have my pc since November, 2004 with one of the only available PCIe cards at the time available to me, an nVidea GeForce 5750!!!

The good thing would be, the system would be much more quieter, due to less fan speed needed for a 25W CPU, or maybe a great Heatsink to be totally quiet if that is your goal.

I will post a few pages from their PR. It seems too good to pass up if this is the segment that you fall in to, that being HTPC, Low power usage or a simple no frills pc.

Ok, on now to the PR.

Welcome to my 1st post on computer related items. The focus will mostly be on CPU's, GPU's and occasionally other items too. I will not be doing any reviews, just research on the web, and the most important items to "ME", and I hope mostly to the average Joe, or as we say here "Tom, Dick and Harry". I will not be going in to - to much details, to keep things simple. I will be including links when I can, so you can also look at the original articles.

I will be starting with VIA and their new CPU's and their Partner S3. I will have to dig up their relationship, since I vaguely remember that VIA took over them, but don't take my word for it.

In my next entry, will be the new VIA CPU. It is the "VIA Nano CPU - Codename Isaiah". After the CPU will be the

S3 Graphics Chrome 440 GTX