Intel Atom N280 specifications, release date

Some information has been leaked, recently, about an upcoming Atom CPU, the N280 model.
Specs are as follows:

• 1.66GHz
• 667MHz FSB
• Paired with GN40 chipset, G45 series derivative

Not much of an improvement over the existing models, except for the chipset that it will be paired with. This is obviously a step up in the graphics department, surely also a move to help dissuade partners away from the green temptation, the Ion platform.

While still lacking in horsepower, this new GN40 should support the same video decoding engine as the top performing mobile G45 based chips, which have what Intel calls the X4500MHD graphics core. There's a similar variety, the GL40, which doesn't have the video decoding engine and has a lower core clock. The lower core clock of 380MHz will probably stick for the GN40, but it should feature the video decoding engine - just speculation about this though.

The 667MHz should help give a little boost to the Atom but it will be nothing spectacular. x86-64 support shouldn't make a debut anytime soon and Nvidia's 9300 and 9400 chipsets - from the Ion - will also be compatible with the N280, since both can scale from 533MHz up to 1333MHz.

The Atom N280 should be commercially available this quarter.

Via Digitimes