Intel Confused About Their CULV Netbook Chips

Intel Confused About Their CULV Netbook Chips

Chance Stevens 2 April 2010 455 views View Comments

It can’t be easy going at Intel. The way that they want manufacturers to use their products is different than how they actually get used. Take Acer for example. With the Acer 1830T, the company will be using an underclocked i5 Intel processor to power the 11.6″ machine. The benefit is that the i5 has the potential to go from 1.07GHz to 1.86GHz thanks to a new Turbo Boost technology. Even this sounds like Intel’s SpeedStep technology in reverse the real beauty is having such a powerful processor and still being able to get 8 hours of battery life (depending on usage).

Meanwhile Intel was really hoping they’d be able to announce their new CULV processors. The only thing is that they aren’t sure if anyone would want it once they actually make the announcement. Acer is one of the largest players in the CULV netbook/notebook space and with them going the i5 route Intel is waiting patiently before announcing anything.

A part of me always felt that we didn’t really need another line of processors from Intel. The Atom chips are for users who don’t mind sipping their power through a straw instead of a glass while the Calpella (i3, i5, and i7) chips are for people who want to drink their power right from the carton. The middle ground would be met with lower speed i3 or i5 chips which would prevent Intel having to spend the money to make something in between and to get customers used to another line of processors to remember the name of. Intel did the same thing with their Core 2 line. Core 2 Solo chips were made for netbook larger than 10 inches and notebooks smaller than 14 inches. They brought the power of the Core 2 processor family while also bringing decent battery life.

If the trend of underclocking chips continues it just might be until Q4 2010 or even Q1 2011 before Intel says more than a whisper on a dedicated CULV processor.

[Via Digitimes]

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