PC Pro has been testing Intel’s new dual-core Atom 330 processor, and while it’s faster than the netbook-favorite Atom N270, it isn’t by much.
The chip tested was a desktop version, sitting atop a big, netbook-unfriendly motherboard. The clock speed of the 330 is the same 1.6 GHz of its predecessor, but with the doubling of cores we’d expect a big jump in performance. The result? The average speed boost across a range of gruelling tests showed the new chip to be just 16% faster than the old one.
And remember, this is the desktop version. Not until there is a netbook-ready iteration will anybody be able to test the 330’s effect on battery life. If things stay the same, then great — a little boost is better than nothing, right? But if it uses any more power than the current Atom, forget it. Netbooks need every ounce of juice they can get.
Dual-core Atom 330 benchmarked [PC Pro]
Loading ...
