Dual-core Atom ready for showtime? Tranquil PC thinks so.

Tranquil PC just announced two new products based around Intel's upcoming Atom 330 dual-core processor, which Tranquil has confusingly dubbed the Atom2 Z330. We'll find out soon enough who's right in their terminology, but cheap-ass speed freaks have more exciting distinctions to worry about. The new processor has dual Atom wafers, for pretty much twice the fun, and Tranquil says that desktop performance is "very very snappy." They're celebrating the new processor with the T7-HSG Home Server, which will start shipping on September 30th in very limited supply for £299 (about $528 US). There's also a DVB-T Media Center in the works, but we're otherwise short on details.

[Hugh @ Sep 8th 2008 9:08AM]

Isn't portable more of a necety with atom then speed??

[Pumping_Iron @ Sep 8th 2008 9:24AM]

how would u like to get both ?

[tom @ Sep 8th 2008 9:55AM]

Now the point in question, will the boys in Redmond let XP-H to be installed in Dual Atom netbooks?

[ethana2 @ Sep 8th 2008 11:05AM]

*cough*

[Daza @ Sep 8th 2008 11:07AM]

I can accept that maybe English isn't your first language, and it's not an easy word to spell, but I have never seen the word necessity butchered so badly.

[d00b @ Sep 8th 2008 4:30PM]

It's a typo for 'nicety'.

I've read that this'll double the 230's 4W envelope, as would be expected with two cores. What is more interesting, however, is if it comes with the same Intel strictures for limiting its implementations, e.g. only for nettop use and not netbook (mobile), no digital out, etc.

[KarlW @ Sep 8th 2008 9:23AM]

This should be a significant improvement. Rather than the disappointing performance of the first Atom, this one should deliver the goal of enabling ultra-mobile computers.

Single core performance isn't great, but the OS scheduler will split background processes for different cores, so that extra core will go to good use, and you should see better software speed.

[SimonRichards @ Sep 8th 2008 9:29AM]

Raon Digital had better be reading this.

[David @ Sep 8th 2008 9:38AM]

Always remove VAT (@ 17.5%) from UK prices!

[Vitamin @ Sep 8th 2008 9:47AM]

I'd wait awhile for a netbook with a dual core atom.

[clearThumbtack @ Sep 8th 2008 9:52AM]

I wonder how long this will be? I have an Aspire One on the way but would return it if I knew I could get a dual core within 2 months. I don't think that is likely though.

Anyway, if the dual core comes out, i'll just pawn this one off as an xmas gift for someone and get the new one. :P

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 8th 2008 9:56AM]

I called Dell and cancelled my order for their netbook. It doesn't ship until mid-October anyway, so why not just wait it out and see where this Dual-core Atom ends up?

[Gunn @ Sep 8th 2008 10:29AM]

Sounds like a good idea. But who knows how long will it take to equip netbooks with this?

[clearThumbtack @ Sep 8th 2008 10:37AM]

I think it will be a little while. I wouldn't sit on a current order for a month and a half, but I think the 2 core processor will be a bit power hungry and bring the price of the netbooks up quite a bit.

I could be wrong though, maybe these guys will be out by xmas.

[Gunn @ Sep 8th 2008 10:44AM]

Still, as a guy at CNET said, $500 was a magical number.

Even equipped with a 2-core Atom, netbooks should not go beyond this threshold.

Otherwise, why would netbooks even come into being?

[KarlW @ Sep 8th 2008 10:44AM]

Wait. You actually ordered one of those 8Gb mini-notes?

My phone has more storage space than that.

[Gunn @ Sep 8th 2008 10:48AM]

＠KarlW

Yeah, your parents' old dog has four legs. Why did they have you again, as you only has two?

[broli @ Sep 8th 2008 12:13PM]

Does this place look like live messenger ?!

[DoomGaZer @ Sep 8th 2008 10:13AM]

Now, if only we can get some dual-core Nano hotness..............;)

[tekdroid @ Sep 8th 2008 10:31AM]

two discrete cores, eh.

[kccboy2004 @ Sep 8th 2008 10:40AM]

I bet that Apple brings out a netbook with this Atom first.

Apple does everything first. I heard that Apple invented the Atom.

Apple just works....

...hard to get your money through smoke and mirrors.

[ethana2 @ Sep 8th 2008 11:08AM]

All it takes is Jobs to decide on a whim that the Atom is Unholy and all your dreams are screwed.
My Inspiron 1420n Just Works too, Apple really isn't that amazing-- just a bunch of perfectionists and control freaks. --perfectionism I can forgive, but I demand complete control over my own stuff, so I avoid Apple products like the plague.

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 8th 2008 11:31AM]

@ethana

Whoosh.

[SimonRichards @ Sep 8th 2008 12:39PM]

http://www.umpcportal.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/wwjdwinner-thumb.jpg

nuff said.

[CosterMonger @ Sep 8th 2008 11:22AM]

it would be good of we could optionally turn off one core entirely to save batteries when or if the extra 2.5W matters.

is the next logical step quad-core?

[tekdroid @ Sep 8th 2008 11:50AM]

i'll take a quad-pack battery before a quad-core any day of the week.

[Mario @ Sep 8th 2008 11:22AM]

For netbooks, I'd prefer a more efficient chipset than a faster processor. C'mon Intel, get your priorities right. ;-)

[Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Sep 8th 2008 11:52AM]

I hope the power consumption wouldn't be much more, the highlight of the Atom is the high battery life with a 6 cell or greater battery.
I hope you can switch off a core. I don't think you can do that in the Core 2 Duos and Quads out right now right? : (

[broli @ Sep 8th 2008 12:17PM]

The atom is cool and all if it only had an IMC. Because you kind of have a "Fail!" situation when your northbridge consumes 10x more than your cpu.

[Andrew @ Sep 8th 2008 2:41PM]

No shit. I opened my Acer One - which does get pretty warm - and saw the big heatsink on the northbridge when adding RAM. It really is weird and I'm very surprised I didn't hear about any plans to work on improving current chipsets. So in the end I still get the same old 2.5-3 hour battery life on 3 cell battery (which isn't THAT small).

[mordov @ Sep 8th 2008 2:00PM]

I bet in most applications a Core 2 Solo ULV kicks it in the pants (with a lower TDP?).

[Nathan @ Sep 9th 2008 2:53PM]

I really hope that they add the dual core atom to the Asus EEE PC 1000H

that wuld redonk unstoppable...

[Nathan @ Sep 9th 2008 2:54PM]

Will this come out for Asus EEE PC?

i hope so..

[Wendy @ Oct 2nd 2008 4:24PM]

it most likely will.

but what you can do is buy it and upgrade your eee pc because its motherboard is still compatible with the dual core processor.