Intel's New Atoms: 2 GHz Z550, 1.2 GHz Z515 ( Technology )

Intel's New Atoms: 2 GHz Z550, 1.2 GHz Z515

As expected, Intel’s finally pulled the covers off of two new Atom chips.

• Joining the Intel Atom’s first birthday party are two new family members: the Z550 at 2 GHz and the Z515 at 1.2 GHz.

• The Z550 is the fastest Atom yet, thanks to its clock speed. Feature-wise, it’s the same as the rest of Atom family with Hyperthreading being the main trick along with the thrifty under-3-watt power envelope.

• The Z515, while slower at a top speed of 1.2 GHz, is a little more clever with the new Intel Burst Performance Technology which will run the chip at slower speeds (with lessened power demands) until the demand is there for full throttle.

• Intel didn’t immediately reveal pricing for either chip, but expect the Z550 to be in the more expensive netbooks and nettops, while the Z515 will likely only be found in smaller mobile internet devices.