Future of intel Atom

[esaym]

I am looking for some info on the intel atom stuff. I am looking to upgrade a home web server of mine and I want to use what ever will draw the least power. Right now I see motherboards with the low power atom 330:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813121359
but ironically the cpu only draws a couple of watts yet I see statements of the whole computer drawing anywhere from 25-60 watts idle depending on any extra hardware. I read that most of the power is being drawn by the chipset of the intel atom boards but in the future there will be a newer chipset that will draw less power. Does anyone know when this newer chipset will be released? Or should I look at some other board entirely? The atom 330 intel board will be perfect for my server and has great linux support. But should I maybe look for something else?

[QuietOC]

I read that most of the power is being drawn by the chipset of the intel atom boards but in the future there will be a newer chipset that will draw less power. Does anyone know when this newer chipset will be released? Or should I look at some other board entirely? The atom 330 intel board will be perfect for my server and has great linux support. But should I maybe look for something else?

Even the "low power" 945GSE isn't that low power. Intel's newer chipsets keep requiring more and more power. So, I wouldn't expect Intel to release any chipsets lower power than what they currently have. If they do make something special it is not going to be paired with cheap Atoms.

The Atom only makes sense from a low purchase price standpoint. It is not energy efficient in the sense of power usage/performance. You can easily build something much more efficient with a $20 Sempron LE 1250 because they are several cheap and efficient chipsets for AMD chips.

[FartingBob]

For general usage its better to pair one of the low power athlons with a low power board and undervolt/clock a bit. You'll get around the same power consumption but alot more power.
If intel put the same amount of effort into a low power chipset to go with the atom it would be a formidable combo for netbooks and those looking to save every watt they can.

[psyopper]

My understanding - though it may be misguided - is that the new dual core Atoms will be compatable with the 5 series Intel chipsets. Supposedly these will draw less power than the 945's. IIRC the power draw was supposed to be 50% to 60% of the 945.

The issue is that the dual core Atom will draw twice as much power as the single core part. Drop 10-15 watts on the chipset but gain it back again with the processor.

[jessekopelman]

The issue is that the dual core Atom will draw twice as much power as the single core part. Drop 10-15 watts on the chipset but gain it back again with the processor.

Double the single core would only be an additional 3W, at most.

[QuietOC]

Double the single core would only be an additional 3W, at most.

Well, the Atom 220 is 4W TDP and the Dual Core Atom 330 is 8W TDP. Dual cores actually require slightly more than twice the power of a single core and have less than double the performance--often much less, especially on a hyperthreaded core like the Atom.

The Atom also seem to require a lot more power for just a little more clockspeed. From my own tests, I don't even believe the Atom N270 TDP number. I expected my 1000HA to be more efficient (and less hot) than it is.

[jessekopelman]

The Atom also seem to require a lot more power for just a little more clockspeed. From my own tests, I don't even believe the Atom N270 TDP number. I expected my 1000HA to be more efficient (and less hot) than it is.

Heat is a function of surface area as much as of TDP. The Atom is a much smaller die than other desktop CPU, so it is not surprising it is relatively hot even at low TDP.

[frostedflakes]

Future designs are supposed to integrate the northbridge onto the CPU die, which should really help to reduce power consumption. According to Wikipedia, these CPUs are expected in the second half of 2009.

[jaganath]

I expected my 1000HA to be more efficient (and less hot) than it is.

you've probably done this already, but have you tried fiddling with the Super Hybrid Engine settings?

[QuietOC]

I expected my 1000HA to be more efficient (and less hot) than it is.

you've probably done this already, but have you tried fiddling with the Super Hybrid Engine settings?

Super Hybrid is too conservative (i.e., too much clockspeed/voltage). I have a post in the Laptop section with the power numbers. 8.5W idle at 495MHz with the LCD off. 10W difference between idle at 495MHz and Orthos + ATITool at 2019MHz.

[m^2]

Intel launched a low power chipset for Atom several months ago.
http://ark.intel.com/chipsetgroup.aspx?codeName=24973

[croddie]

Early 2010, 32nm, memory controller, graphics, and I/O on single die. All these things suggest it will be a very low power platform.
http://www.dailytech.com/New+Intel+Road ... e13617.htm

[jessekopelman]

Early 2010, 32nm, memory controller, graphics, and I/O on single die. All these things suggest it will be a very low power platform.
http://www.dailytech.com/New+Intel+Road ... e13617.htm

From the same article: some time in '09 we'll see a 45nm version with on-die graphics. That should mean no more crappy 945G stuff, even on the low-cost targeted products. Also, if that on-die is a version of the GMA X500, that means HD decoding capability.

[derekva]

There's always the upcoming Nvidia MCP79chipset for the Atom which should be low powered (3W idle, 14W full load w/ IGP). Specs look to be pretty nice (including HDMI 1.2). Now if it has more than 2 SATA ports and GigE, it could be a fabulous platform for WHS.

-D

[QuietOC]

There's always the upcoming Nvidia MCP79chipset for the Atom which should be low powered (3W idle, 14W full load w/ IGP).

Those power numbers sound worse than the 945GSE + ICH7. The current Atom netbook platform is 9.3W TDP for the chipset. These devices should have a chipset with a TDP less than the Atom's 2.5W and able to idle around 100mW. A die shrunk Poulsbo (2.3W TDP) would be great.

[jessekopelman]

There's always the upcoming Nvidia MCP79chipset for the Atom which should be low powered (3W idle, 14W full load w/ IGP).

Those power numbers sound worse than the 945GSE + ICH7. The current Atom netbook platform is 9.3W TDP for the chipset. These devices should have a chipset with a TDP less than the Atom's 2.5W and able to idle around 100mW. A die shrunk Poulsbo (2.3W TDP) would be great.

But MCP79 gives you full HD video acceleration and 8 channel LPCM audio over HDMI. You aren't going to get either from 945G derived stuff. Bottom line, MCP79 is a solution for HTPC, not NAS. Although for that very reason, I kind of doubt it will be a retail solution -- I think this will just be an OEM product.

[esaym]

I am looking for some info on the intel atom stuff. I am looking to upgrade a home web server of mine and I want to use what ever will draw the least power. Right now I see motherboards with the low power atom 330:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813121359
but ironically the cpu only draws a couple of watts yet I see statements of the whole computer drawing anywhere from 25-60 watts idle depending on any extra hardware. I read that most of the power is being drawn by the chipset of the intel atom boards but in the future there will be a newer chipset that will draw less power. Does anyone know when this newer chipset will be released? Or should I look at some other board entirely? The atom 330 intel board will be perfect for my server and has great linux support. But should I maybe look for something else?

Well it is a year and a half later and the mother board in my webserver just fried. So now I have to buy something. What does everyone recommend now? I am thinking about one of those msi wind desktop things with the dual core atom. I am open to a regular mother board but it just can't draw too much power (below 30 watts would be nice) and I really don't want to have to undervolt because of the issues with causing the cpu to corrupt data if you are not careful...

[esaym]

Hmm any comments on something like this: intel DG41RQ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... Tpk=DG41RQ with this: (Pentium E5200 Wolfdale ) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6819116072

[Greg F.]

No DVI, no RAID and the AMD 740 boards are still cheaper.

[Shamgar]

It's an Intel. That's why people are interested. No matter what you tell them. No matter what the numbers. Fanboyism still exists. On both sides. Some people are willing to give up a few watts, features, dollars for their platform of preference.

[esaym]

It's an Intel. That's why people are interested. No matter what you tell them. No matter what the numbers. Fanboyism still exists. On both sides. Some people are willing to give up a few watts, features, dollars for their platform of preference.

I don't really care what it is as long as I can get it to idle below 30 watts or so. I plan on using a desktop hard drive, so that is 10 watts right there.

Unfortunately since this is an email and webserver that is now offline, I am going to have to order these parts by early tomorrow. Not much time to research :-/

[Shamgar]

I don't really care what it is as long as I can get it to idle below 30 watts or so. I plan on using a desktop hard drive, so that is 10 watts right there.

I wasn't actually referring to your situation in particular. Nevermind. Disregard my previous post. BTW, 10W for a desktop HDD seems to be worst case. Many of them use much lower than that now, depending on several factors however.

Unfortunately since this is an email and webserver that is now offline, I am going to have to order these parts by early tomorrow. Not much time to research :-/

Sorry to hear that. These kinds of very low power systems have to be planned carefully. I'm sure in time the efficiency of these platforms will be improved and the costs will come down. But that doesn't help you right now.

[esaym]

I think I am going to get the intel atom 330 board D945GCLF2D

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... D945GCLF2d

Looking at benchmarks seems to put the performance above my current dead 1.1ghz p3: http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?o ... &Itemid=69

I just hope it fits in my atx case (I guess mini-itx is atx compatible?) and I have to by an adapter for the 12+volt aux plug on the motherboard since my power supply doesn't have one. I do have some psu's that have it, but they are no name brands and I don't want to use them.

[smilingcrow]

I have an HP SFF desktop with a Q45 chipset, C2D E7300 2.67GHz, Hitachi 7,200 RPM 1TB HDD, DVD burner, 1 stick of DDR2-800 and it idles at 34W (240V).
The HP 80plus power supply rated for 250W which helps keep the consumption down which is something that some people overlook.

People rightly moaned about Intel’s chipsets being inefficient in the past but the 4 series is good and the newer CPUs support C4E so the platform is power efficient now. The G45 has similar efficiency to the Q45 as far as I can tell.
You will probably still get a lower idle on an AMD platform but the difference has shrunk as it has also at load where AMD are relatively competitive again after a long time in the wilderness.

The Pine Trail platform sounds a step in the right direction although it’s still a 45nm part and they haven’t announced the TDP of the Tiger Point I/O hub which may hold it back a bit. Once they shrink to 32nm I can see a dual core Atom being a good fit for a NetBook.

[esaym]

I am going to get the atom330, I am sure I will be happy. Will post back if I am not