AMD's Neo to hit nettops, all-in-one PCs soon

AMD's Neo ultra-portable platform was seen as something that just might rival Intel's mighty Atom in the oversaturated netbook space when it debuted back in January, but up until now, the system has remained largely in the background. Indeed, it has only found its way into a select few machines, none of which have managed to gain any sort of traction beside the sea of Atom-based alternatives. Now, however, it seems as if the chips -- which were originally engineered for ultraslim, thin-and-light laptops -- may find themselves shoved into an array of nettops and all-in-one PCs. Here lately, a slew of underpowered SFF-type desktops and PC-in-a-monitor type units have found favor with bargain hunters, and Bob Grim, the outfit's director of client marketing, isn't looking to miss a golden opportunity. To quote:

"We've known all along that this type of technology would really work well in multiple platforms and multiple types of form factors. These CPUs perform better than the Atom processor, and the graphics are superior. These things... can play Blu-rays, they can play games."

There's still no word on who exactly plans on equipping their future machines with this here platform, but considering just how tired we are of Intel's sluggish N270 and N280, we'll take all the competition we can get.

[ED @ Jul 19th 2009 6:31AM]

The Matrix has you?

[nvidiagtx @ Jul 19th 2009 6:31AM]

Stupid idiots if they knew this tech would work well for a long time than they would have released it before intel. Also intels atom is not competing with this so why are the bragging its better, wait for intel to release a competitor on their side.

[Danneh @ Jul 19th 2009 6:34AM]

"These CPUs perform better than the Atom processor, and the graphics are superior."

Oh dear. It's a CPU, it has next to no effect on graphics whatsoever. So you can say this guy is definitely spewing a load of marketing bull, which means that he's probably also wrong about them performing better than Atom.

I'll wait until we see more, but by talking about games, that guy has discredited himself right there.

[Saosin @ Jul 19th 2009 6:59AM]

He's most likely talking about the GPU in the latter part...

[10minutehobo @ Jul 19th 2009 7:03AM]

The AMD Neo is a platform. Chipset + CPU + GPU. And integrated ATi gpus are always at least over 9000 times better than intel GPUs.

[jon @ Jul 19th 2009 8:14AM]

@10minutehobo

Actually it's not, Neo is a cpu.

Congo is a platform, I assume that's what he's talking about, but that's not what he said.

[Exile @ Jul 19th 2009 8:38AM]

@PeopleWhoAreNewToComputers

AMD CPUs are always paired with superior GPUs. ALWAYS. That's why the Neo has better graphics.

[Haikibutsu @ Jul 19th 2009 12:46PM]

AMD + ATI = Dragon.

[Macbeth @ Jul 19th 2009 1:45PM]

@jon

LRN2READ

"AMD's Neo ultra-portable platform" first words of the article

from AMD's press release

Neo platform consists of an "Athlon Neo processor code-named "Huron" and an optional ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3400 series graphics chip.

[Macbeth @ Jul 19th 2009 1:49PM]

@haikubitsu

lol, try again

phenom + 790fx + HD 3800 series = Spider platform
phenom II + 790fx + HD 4800 series = Dragon platform

[10minutehobo @ Jul 19th 2009 4:56PM]

I guess it's both. The processor is Athlon Neo, and the platform has been called AMD Neo (from the processor, I guess).
The point is, the processor ALWAYS comes with a good GPU.

In any case, AMD needs to label stuff more clearly.

[Kiv @ Jul 19th 2009 10:30PM]

Everyone is shouting names! I will refer to it as "Computor Machine." Proudly running on the "Electric Slide" platform. Pew pew!

[Ethos @ Jul 19th 2009 6:34AM]

I'd like to think that these are better then those energy-eff CPU intel has when it says it does graphics better do they mean to say that it has 3D-hardware acceleration to run proper games?

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 20th 2009 2:56AM]

They are talking about the platform which uses a decent GPU akin to the Nvidia 9400/Ion.

[10minutehobo @ Jul 19th 2009 7:05AM]

Do want. Sick of Atoms everywhere.

[kojo87 @ Jul 19th 2009 4:04PM]

im an AMD guy but they don't have a proper CPU for netbooks. my EeePC with an Atom N280 is the first Intel product i have bought. unfortunately the second Intel product i bought, an ITX mobo with integrated Dualcore Atom, only posted twice and is now worthless. not happy

[m2h @ Jul 19th 2009 8:16AM]

I'm pretty annoyed. The Neo platform existed back when the Atom platform existed. But AMD denied wanting to enter that market. I would be much happier with a Neo platform than the Atom platform. AMD has always had low powered well performing tech for a long time. I hate the bullshit that these chip producers market towards. Let the the OEM decide what to do with it. Then let the consumer decide. I'm still waiting for AMD to take on Intel in the marketing department. Joe Nobody still thinks AMD equals K6 crap. Same with VIA, Joe Nobody is still realing in agony from the Cyrix debacle.

[jon @ Jul 19th 2009 8:53AM]

The problem is, that Neo platform(Yukon) can't compete with Atom, the cpu(Huron) alone has a TDP of 15w and still only clocks at 1.6Ghz. Yes it's faster than an atom, but it also uses 6 times more power.

I think the reason they are targeting nettops, and all-in-ones with this new platform(Congo) and CPU(Conesus) is because they still can't compete with Intel on TDP. The new CPU is still 65nm and is now dual core. Add the predicted(and potentially optional) Ati 3200 and it's a bust for mobile use.

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 20th 2009 3:00AM]

@Jon

Correct, but for nettops where power isn't as much of a concern, I think these will be just fine. And while the Atom sips power, the whole 945GSE platform needs 11W, so its really only fair to compare the overall platforms of each. Finally, everyone needs to remember that the Atom platform uses the ancient GMA950, NOT the newer GMA 3000/4500H/etc GPUs. The AMD Neo platform and the Nvidia Ion platform each have 5X better graphics and video decoding than the POS Atom is running on. A shame really.

[Ken @ Jul 19th 2009 9:27AM]

Any benchmarks? Is this chip faster than the Atom? Really digging the Gateway netbook Best Buy sells with this chip.

[Castaa @ Jul 19th 2009 1:51PM]

From what I've read in some netbook forums that Neo CPU performance is only slightly better. This is comparing the Vista Experience CPU benchmark number. It was only 0.1 higher compared to the Atom.

[jordn @ Jul 20th 2009 4:56AM]

@Castaa

http://www.techpinas.com/2009/01/benchmarks-amd-neo-vs-intel-atom_06.html

Please don't pull figures out of your ass. This is the Internet, somebody might take you seriously :)

The AMD Neo platform buries the the Atom in content creation tests, which are some of the most stressful tests you can perform on a CPU, apart from stuff like mathematical/physics calculations and stuff like that.

[scape @ Jul 19th 2009 10:39AM]

big fan of AMD, but it just takes forever for them to turn around a product

[jon @ Jul 19th 2009 2:51PM]

@Macbeth

LRN2THINK about what you read.

"Athlon Neo processor" You said it yourself, Neo is also a processor.

"AMD Athlon™ Neo Processor for Ultrathin Notebooks" From AMD's site.

http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/bto/20090105/amd-athlon-neo-2.jpg Also from AMD.

[Macbeth @ Jul 19th 2009 8:26PM]

"Actually it's not, Neo is a cpu. " - jon, trying to correct someone

You need to follow your own advice and mine. I knew that is why in my post I also quoted AMD and will do so again just in case you didn't catch it the first time around.

Neo platform consists of an "Athlon Neo processor code-named "Huron" and an optional ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3400 series graphics chip."

Now, you were trying to correct 10minutes, when he was correctly referring to as a platform, as this article that brings us here is about the PLATFORM, not just the cpu, as another reader pointed out the cpu isn't anything special on it's own.

So...you know...critical reading skills!!

[matador @ Jul 19th 2009 6:57PM]

More netbook on the way?