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Via's Nano Beats Intel's Atom in Apples and Oranges Test
Posted by Kit Eaton at 10:45 PM on July 30, 2008
Via's Nano and Intel's Atom low-power processors are intended for slightly different purposes, but that didn't stop HardOCP pitting them against each other in performance tests, and coming up with some interesting results. In every single benchmark, the beefier Nano beat the Atom. In particular it was 59% better in MP3 encoding tests, 37% in Divx encoding and achieved double the frame rate in Quake 4. No surprises there: the Nano is designed to draw a little more current (53W against 45W) than the Atom, so it won't make it into quite the same hand-held gizmos as Intel's chip. But the tests revealed that under normal "desktop" usage, the Nano actually drew less power when idling. Looks like Via's got a hot one in its grip: we might expect to see more of this chip. [HardOCP via BBG]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Rexter
Posted 11:00 PM 30/7/08
Sounds interesting, i had high hopes for the Nano and it certainly showed that it could compete. After VIA's lackluster performance with the C7, this might get them back in the race.
Rexter
VideoVampire
Posted 11:46 PM 30/7/08
Anyone got any dip?
VideoVampire
DisposableInterloper
Posted 11:29 PM 30/7/08
I'm kinda wishing Cyrix was still around, at least as a brand, and still making x86 CPUs. The more, the merrier, especially in a capitalistic economy.
But on-topic, I'd really love to see how this pans out. The Via Nano might just breath new life into carputers, especially if a pico-ITX form factor mobo for the Nano is released.
DisposableInterloper
soggy_cheerio
Posted 11:23 PM 30/7/08
Creepy. I just got done reading a very similar article on Ars.
soggy_cheerio
strider_mt2k
Posted 12:05 AM 31/7/08
@soggy_cheerio: Me too.
Good reading though.
I wonder if the Dell Inspiron-Mini if gonna have it where it counts.
Up and Atom indeed.
strider_mt2k
DisposableInterloper
Posted 11:56 PM 30/7/08
@Samifumi:
Embedded devices and cheap laptops that are just a wee bit above the Eee in terms of capability.
DisposableInterloper
Samifumi
Posted 11:52 PM 30/7/08
OK, I just read the BBG blog. Apparently, the Via Nano is pin compatible with the C7 series. So maybe we can expect an update for the HP Mini-note being powered by a Nano processor. I'm interested.
Samifumi
Samifumi
Posted 11:48 PM 30/7/08
I'm new to the mobile mini-processor debate. I know the Intel Atom is in the eee PC 1000H. That caught my attention. What device are we expecting that will house a Via Nano processor and similarly catch the consumers' attention?
Samifumi
ripfire
Posted 12:54 AM 31/7/08
Who cares about the chip. Nowadays, it's the sum of all chip(sets) that makes up the performance of a PC.
ripfire
streamingeagle
Posted 1:49 AM 31/7/08
Interesting. The Nano smoked the Atom... 2.4x faster MP3 encoding.
Remember that current is measured in amps... don't say "the Nano is designed to draw a little more current" then list the processor's power figures. Power (Watts) = current x voltage.
streamingeagle
whootowl
Posted 1:43 AM 31/7/08
@ripfire: An the quality of the drivers.
whootowl
strider_mt2k
Posted 1:43 AM 31/7/08
@ripfire: Interesting you mention that.
the ATS article talks bout how the chipset was the big power hog on one of 'em, requiring a large heatsink and fan!
(I'll let you read the article to find out which!)
strider_mt2k
urbanturban666
Posted 1:57 AM 31/7/08
the nano looks like a good buy if they can price it to compete with the atoms price...
urbanturban666
fastm3driver
Posted 2:29 AM 31/7/08
Why would one encode MP3's or DIVX files with one of these? They are all used in laptops with no DVD drives.
There is that eee desktop but that dell studio deal has a real chip and cost less.
fastm3driver
lightningrob
Posted 3:20 AM 31/7/08
Where do you see a spec for the Atom that shows a TDP of 45W? All the specs I've read shows it maxes out at around 3W. It uses 45nm manufacturing, maybe that's where you got the number 45?
lightningrob
Europhile
Posted 3:07 AM 31/7/08
@DisposableInterloper Via purchased Cyrix! So in a weird way, the Via Nano is part of the legacy of Cyrix. [en.wikipedia.org]
Europhile
Log1c
Posted 3:35 AM 31/7/08
@lightningrob: TDP is a thermal specification, not a power draw specification.
Log1c
nimblesquirrel
Posted 7:29 AM 31/7/08
Also bear in mind that the Via Nano is still being manufactured by a 65nm process, as opposed to the Atom's 45nm fabrication. When the Nano is fabbed at 45nm (and I believe they are working on that), then the Nano should be a much better competitor for the Atom.
When it comes down to CPU wattage alone, the Atom beats the Nano soundly. It is hard not to with 45nm vs 65nm fab technology. The 53W and 45W numbers are FULL SYSTEM wattage. While the Atom CPU sips power compared to the Nano CPU, the Atom's northbridge is a power hungry beast when compared to the Nano's northbridge. The huge heatsink you see on the Intel board is for the northbridge, not the CPU (the CPU is under the smaller heatsink). The Atom's northbridge consumes more power than the Atom itself. There is something wrong about that.
This is really a competition between systems than CPUs.
nimblesquirrel