Via Launches More-Powerful Nano Processor Family

Via Technologies has introduced a new VIA Nano processor family that offers as much as four times the performance within the same power range over the company’s previous-generation C7 processor lineup.

In particular, Nano paves the way for notebook manufacturers to deploy Via’s chips in computer designs optimized for Blu-ray Disc video playback and more demanding PC games. Moreover, Nano offers aggressive power and thermal management capabilities that Via Technologies CEO Wenchi Chen said are critical requirements for OEMs designing thin and light laptops as well as mini-notebooks.

“‘Small is Beautiful’ is more than a design strategy; it’s our vision of where the PC market is heading, and our new processors will help the market realize that dream,” Chen said. “Via Nano processors represent the next generation of x86 technology, providing the fundamental building blocks for a new genre of optimized computing solutions.”

Aimed at Emerging Markets

The new Nano processors are pin-compatible with existing VIA C7 processors, which means they will provide OEMs an easy upgrade path, noted Matthew Wilkins, a principal analyst at research firm iSuppli.

“That’s certainly an advantage for OEMs in terms of the motherboard design and the layout,” Wilkins noted. “It cuts down on the amount of effort that some of Via’s OEM partners in Taiwan will have to make to bring new products more quickly to market.”

Wilkins also said it is significant that Via is targeting lower power consumption with the launch of its latest chip family. “It fits in very well with the low-cost PCs that are getting a lot of attention right now,” he said.

For example, Asus now offers a mobile computer called the Eee PC that is quite significantly lower in price than other similar products. “It has received enthusiastic reception with the press and tends to sell out very quickly in…