VIA launches Nano 3000 series processors

VIA has announced the new VIA Nano 3000 series of processors. This brings two new editions to the L series of Nano processors and four to the U series. The highest speed Nano will now be the 2.0GHz L3100, sporting an idle power of 500mW. The idle power in these top speed processors hasn't dropped from previous models, although the press release from VIA highlights a dramatic 20% reduction of power consumption. Once you get down to the 1.4, 1.3 and 1.2GHz models you see what all the fuss is about. The idle power is down from 200mW to half that at 100mW from previous models of the same speed. The press release does also tout a 20% increase in performance although no figures are provided.

Samples of these new processors are available to OEMs and motherboard manufacturers right now, with mass production not expected until Q1 2010.

VIA has kept the same package as they've used for generations of their CPUs now, NanoBGA2, which means that it's a drop in replacement to upgrade existing designs to cater for the new models.

The new Nano 3000 series are being aimed at light notebooks, desktops, "all-in-one" systems and energy-efficient server designs.

Will vendors choose VIA Nano with Nvidia ION 2?

Netbookchoice is running the rumor mill, conjecturing about the processors that will be supported by Nvidia's upcoming ION 2 platform. Apparently Fudzilla said that ION 2 will support "VIA Nano, Intel ULV & of course Intel Atom". They wonder if this will lead to a wave of VIA Nano + ION 2 netbooks. That sounds kind of nice but there is a bit of an uphill battle with that idea. Intel simply has more marketing muscle and pull with manufacturers, to entice them to buy their own Intel platforms - CPUs and chipsets - for their netbooks. Then again, if it's cheaper and it's got better performance and battery life, manufacturers could be convinced that it will sell more.
It's too early to tell.

Why choose the Nano version of the Lenovo IdeaPad S12

I have written here before several times that the VIA Nano version of the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 is cheaper than the Atom version. But aside from price, is there a good reason to choose it? An UberTechGuy - the nick name he calls himself, not my nickname for him - did choose the Nano version and here's why:

"I looked at all of the netbooks on the market and settled on the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 with the VIA Nano ULV 2250 (1.30GHz 800MHz 1MB) processor. Why VIA instead of Intel Atom? I liked the fact that it would address 3 GB of memory (RAM), had a very fast front-side BUS (quick communication between the processor and the rest of the system) and 1MB of video memory (fast video). Also, the reviews and benchmarks (speed tests) were very good. I should note that the VIA is a 64-bit processor."

12 inch becomes the new netbook

Netbooks were small notebooks, so small in fact that they felt a bit like pretend notebooks when you picked them up. But 12 inches seems to be the new trend. A 12 inch version means that you don't need to squint or scroll so much and the keyboard size is better for adults. Digitimes reports that VIA chips are being sought after for new 12 inch designs:
"The new products will be marketed as netbooks, although they will feature screen sizes in excess of 12 inches. However, don't expect them to be as thin and stylish as CULV-based products, nor as powerful for that matter. On the upside, they could end up rather cheap, and offer punters a cost effective alternative to cramped netbooks or pricey thin-and-lights. " - Fudzilla.

Tongfong S30A: The zero figure notebook

There’s no doubt that mini-notebooks have been given a new spice of life with the VIA Nano processor. Many mini-notebook manufacturers have gone for the VIA Nano because of its low power consumption. Be it Samsung, Lenovo or HP – they all have VIA Nano powered mini-notebooks. The opinion is unanimous – the VIA Nano is the ultimate processor when it comes to modern day mobile computing … and now that includes notebooks. The VIA Nano processor has shown up in one of the thinnest notebooks I have ever seen. The leading Chinese manufacturer, Tongfong, has put the VIA Nano processor in its flagship notebook, the S30A.

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