Intel Shipping Upgraded Atom, HD Video Chipset
Intel is now shipping the N280 version of its popular Atom processor to OEMs for use in netbooks.
While the N280 doesn’t differ from the N270 in clock speed, with both running at 1.6 GHz, the newer chip benefits from being paired with the new GN40, which brings with it HD video acceleration.
As handy as netbooks have proven to be at casual web browsing and even the odd video, it does trip up when it comes to the more intensive multimedia features. The GN40 chipset adds hardware help for playback of 720p video, making the Atom N280 set probably a better companion now than a portable DVD player (particularly if you have high-def video encodes).
The Atom N280 itself has a lower thermal design power at 2 W compared to the N270 at 2.5 W, but with the beefier chipset, the N280 and GN40 TDP jumps to 16.5 W. The N270 with the N945GSE has a TDP of 11.8 W.
Of course, the upgraded N280 with the GN40, while better with videos, doesn’t really measure up to what Nvidia brings to the table with the Ion chipset. We took a look at the Nvidia Ion paired with the Atom in more of a nettop form, but such a chipset would be mighty impressive in a netbook.
For now, however, the Atom N280 and GN40 is the only available option for 720p video from a netbook -- and it’s not bad if you can get several movies' worth out of it from the Asus Eee 1000HE.
I like the advantage of taking just what I need to a client site with the extra bulk.
n280 runs as 1.667Ghz and has a FSB of 667 rather than the 533 of the n270. Please reasearch facts before posting next time please.
The XPS M1330 starts at 3.97 pounds.
I'll take the XPS every day of the week and twice on Sundays. If you can't handle carrying around 4 pounds (but CAN handle 2.5) you have some serious problems.
+1 ^^
The point of getting a netbook IMO is for the sub-$500 price tag, its tiny and cute, and the battery life. The XPS is defenately not cheap! Yes, I agree with you, the weight of a normal 15" laptop isn't bad.
They should never append HE to anything, as I just read it as High-Explosive...
the weight difference is a bit of a concern in these netbooks...
No, its not. The Dell Mini 10 announced that it'll have two resolution options though, one is slightly more than 720P, so it'll have the option!