Intel is set to launch the Atom N550 dual core processor for netbooks and budget thin and light laptops soon. But while the dual core 1.5GHz chip should offer better overall performance than the single Core Atom chips used in most netbooks today, DigiTimes reports it will also cost $11 to $22 more than current Atom chips. And that could drive up the cost of netbooks enough to blur the lines between machines with Atom chips and those with low cost CULV processors.

So what’s Intel to do? If DigiTimes is correct, the company will kill off its budget Celeron line of Ultra Low Voltage processors. In other words, yes, dual core Atom powered netbooks will cost more than today’s netbooks — but they won’t be about the same price as a notebook with a CULV chipset because in a few months you probably won’t be able to find CULV-powered notebooks for $400 anymore.

Yay?

DigiTimes goes on to suggest that Acer and Asus are putting off developing new models with Atom N550 chips until mid-August. That will give the companies time to clear out some older entry-level models. We’ve already heard that both companies do plan to release netbooks with Atom N550 chips. But we haven’t seen official release dates for the Acer Aspire One D255 or Asus Eee PC 1015N.

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5 replies on “Dual core Intel Atom to replace Celeron chips in budget notebooks?”

  1. How do the CULVs stack against the dual core netbook atoms anyway? I’ve seen comparisons for the DC atom processor that was used in the Asus 1201N (think that’s right) and came away with the impression that in terms of core vs core (leaving aside graphics and everything else) the CULV was a better bet. Certainly my Acer 1410TZ compares very favourably with the second generation dual-core on my Vaio FE11H, and that laptop was seen as well-specced in its day. In other words, the 1410 is better than ANY other netbook I’ve tried to date, and I’ve had a few.

  2. Yeah, agree, i hope they are just phasing out single core celerons in favor of dual core atoms and not entire dual core celeron family.
    I wonder how good with these atoms run against single core celerons?

  3. I think you mean Dual core not Daul core.

    And it would be a shame if they’re replacing the dual core Celerons with dual core atoms. Looks like Intel is able to mark up prices as they please since they have no competition. Selling lower performance processors for a higher price.

    I’m on a dual core Celeron CULV (the SU2300) right now and they’ve always made the laptops they come in a great bang for the buck.

    1. Maybe I meant duel… yeah, my spellchecker doesn’t do a great job with headlines. I’ve updated it. 🙂

      I’ve learned to take a lot of these DigiTimes reports with a grain of salt. I wonder if maybe Intel is just phasing out the single core Celeron chips like the 743 and SU3500. It seems like it’s about time to let those go anyway, since there are new generations of chips available. At the same time, I suspect that all of last year’s CULV chips including the Celeron SU2300, Pentium SU4100 and Core 2 Duo SU7300 may be on their way out soon now that there are Core i3 and Core i5-based CULV chips.

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