| The heart of any computer system is a chip known as | | | | several different versions of the Atom, but the most |
| the CPU - the central processing unit - which is the | | | | commonly used model at the moment is called the |
| engine that drives the entire computer. Most laptop | | | | Atom N270. This processor runs at a speed of 1.6GHz, |
| computers on sale at the moment are equipped with | | | | which sounds fairly impressive, but a netbook equipped |
| Intel's Core 2 Duo processors. These are the same | | | | with a 1,6GHz Atom is nowhere near as fast or as |
| processors used in lager desktop PCs as well, which | | | | powerful as a proper laptop computer equipped with a |
| means that a good (i.e. not too cheap) laptop can | | | | Core 2 Duo processor running at the same speed. |
| handle the same demanding tasks as any desktop | | | | Even so, most netbooks are still perfectly adequate |
| machine. However, the processors that drive netbooks | | | | for browsing the web, and even doing a bit of office |
| are a lot less powerful. | | | | work using Microsoft Word or Excel, as long as you |
| Most netbooks currently use a completely different | | | | don't mind peering at your documents on such a small |
| type of processor, also designed by Intel and | | | | screen. |
| somewhat appropriately known as the Atom'. | | | | And, of course, Intel and its rivals are constantly |
| Measuring just 2.2cm square, the Atom is one of the | | | | developing newer and more powerful processors all |
| smallest processors that Intel has ever produced and | | | | the time. We're already looking forward to seeing the |
| was designed specifically for use in compact portable | | | | latest version of the Atom, which will be called the |
| devices such as netbooks. As well as being extremely | | | | Atom 330. This is a 'dual-core' chip that effectively |
| small, the Atom is designed to require less power than | | | | bolts two processors together to improve |
| a conventional processor, and also to give off less | | | | performance. Even so, while early reports indicate that |
| heat too. This means that netbooks can provide good | | | | the Atom 330 is much faster than previous Atom |
| battery life using relatively compact and lightweight | | | | chips, it is still a lot less powerful than the Core 2 Duo |
| batteries, rather than the heavy and bulky batteries | | | | processors used in conventional laptops. This |
| used by most laptop computers. | | | | emphasizes the point that a netbook is primarily a |
| However, the Atom is a lot less powerful than its | | | | mobile communications device rather than a |
| bigger brothers in the Core 2 Duo range There are | | | | general-purpose computer. |