By Don Burnett

I am rarely ever misinformed about products, so this is one of those rare instances when I have to apologize and let you know that I was completely wrong about a couple of things..  This involves the Atom processor. Due to misinformation in the Media I thought that there was only one Atom processor released. According to a ZDNET article it would seem to indicate that Intel was having second thoughts on the Atom processor due to a quote they published by one of their execs.  I wanted some experience with this new line of processors after I had bought 2 netbooks (Acer Aspire One’s) and had SUPER results with them.. So I went out and bought an ATOM motherboard and built up my own Atom based machine in a mini-itx case..

The results of this is something close to beautiful.. When the Windows 7 beta came out, I downloaded the x64 version first because well all of my CPUs (a core 2 quad, and two core 2 duos, not counting the netbooks) are all 64-bit capable. Well after building up this new ATOM processor/Motherboard in the Mini-ITX case I mistakenly put in the x64 burned version and it loaded and installed just fine. In fact it does perform better than the same hardware with the 32-bit OS installed. I hadn’t looked closely at the ATOM CPU on the motherboard. I assumed it was an N270 like the ones in my netbook. Well it turns out I was wrong, it’s actually an ATOM 230 (single core with a full x64 instruction set)… Assuming it was the same CPU I made a post to friends on Twitter about it.. Let me tell you I am eating “crow” on this one.

While I wasn’t looking INTEL actually has released a whole family of Atom processors. Each with differing capabilities. The main thing to know that the “nettop” version of this chip family (the N270) is only a 32 bit cpu.. I was wrong about it being 64-bit. If you want a 64-bit instruction set Atom you need to get an Atom 200 series, or Atom 330 processor at the moment in whatever system you choose..

The Current ATOM Family (with links to info on Wikipedia):

ATOM 200 series (single-core)

"Diamondville" (45 nm)

• All models support: MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, Intel 64, XD bit (an NX bit implementation)

• Die Size: 25,96mm² for 230 and 51.92mm² for 330

• Package Size: 22mm × 22mm

• Steppings: C0    

  ATOM N27x series (single-core)

• All models support: MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology (EIST), XD bit (an NX bit implementation)
• All models DO NOT support: Intel 64, Intel VT
• Die Size: 25mm²
• Package Size: 22mm × 22mm
• Steppings: C0

Atom Z5xx series (single-core)

           "Silverthorne" (45 nm)

• All models support: MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology (EIST), XD bit (an NX bit implementation)
• Intel VT: supported by Z520, Z530 and Z540
• All models DO NOT support: Intel 64
• Die Size: 25mm²
• Package Size: 13mm × 14mm

Atom™ Processor 330 (dual core 64 bit Intel 64  instruction set)

• 1 .60 GHz
• 533 MHz (FSB)
• 1 MB L2 Cache
• 1.6 GHz

According to Engadget, Gigabyte is preparing to launch a 10 inch version of their m912 convertible touch screen “netbook” that will use the soon to be released dual-core atom 330 CPU...