Intel’s current line of Atom processors are built using a 45 nanometer process. Those chips are pretty small, and the tiny scale actually helps them consume less energy than larger chips. But Intel is thinking smaller. Way smaller.
The next-generation of Atom chips is slated to shrink to 32nm, but the company is also planning on building 22nm and even 15nm Atom processors down the road.
It’ll probably be a few years before we see 15nm Intel Atom chips, but Intel showed off a chart at IDF this week indicating the plans for future development. One of the interesting things is that Intel seems to see opportunities for a larger number of chips. For instance, the chart shows 5 different chips in the Intel Atom N series space for the 15nm portion of the chart, but just one N series chip in the 45nm area. I wouldn’t put too much stock in that tidbit though, since Intel is actually currently offering at least 3 different N series chips, including the Atom N455, N475, and N550.
via CNET
I’m guessing 15 nm is seven years away. And, let me guess the 15 nm chips will only be 30% more powerful then current Atom chips and use 75% less power. Meaning those N-Series chips will be nearly useless in a 2017 netbook/tablet
Will a 15 nm N-Series even run Windows 9? Barely, I’m sure will be the answer will be something like, “Oh, you can run it, but it won’t show the screen in 2160p 3D-sterioscopic w/ haptic tactile feedback.”
They’re already getting into 32nm next year with Cedar Trail, etc. And they’re likely to get to 22nm within 2 years from that time.
So it should be much less than 7 years before they come out with the 15nm, but you may be right about the performance and the significance. Though by then they may just merge the netbooks with either UMPC’s or CULV’s.