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• The first generation of Atoms is the Z5x0, previously known by the code name Silverthorne. The Atom Z500s are dedicated to MIDs (the famous Mobile Internet Devices) and are coupled to a new chipset, the Poulsbo SCH (System Controller Hub). Atom Z500: Competition for ARM CPUs? With the MID orientation, it’s clear to see who Intel’s target is – ARM processors. This very popular architecture (it’s used in the great majority of telephones, PDAs, and GPS devices) is offered by many manufacturers (ARM licenses its instruction set) and offers good performance while keeping power consumption low. In the mobility arena, except for a few rare devices using MIPS architecture (the PSP, for example), ARM processors are in the majority. Intel, incidentally, once produced ARM CPUs for consumer applications (the XScale, since sold to Marvell) and still has a line of products used, for example in RAID cards (the IOP333, for example). In practice, moving from an ARM architecture to x86 poses no real problems – Linux is obviously compatible, as are Windows CE (used in many GPSs) and the Windows Mobile OS layer (at least in the older versions). In addition, the x86 can also make use of the latest Windows versions and so benefit from broader software (and technical) support than with ARM CPUs. The Z500 Processors Before we analyze the architecture of the Atom, let’s look at the Z500 series. These processors are very small, delivered in a package only 13 x 14 mm. The processors are made up of approximately 47 million transistors (more than the original Pentium 4) and have 56 kB of Level-1 cache (24 kB for data and 32 kB for instructions) and 512 kB of Level-2 cache. They operate on a standard Intel bus, the same one used since the Pentium 4. The frequency of the bus is 400 MHz (QDR) or 533 MHz (QDR). There is also support for SIMD instructions, from MMX to SSSE3, EIST, and HyperThreading (making its comeback). Note that the latter technology is available only on certain models (with the 533 MHz QDR bus). Poulsbo, A Chipset for the Atom The SCH (System Controller Hub) is a chipset that includes the Northbridge and Southbridge in the same chip. Dedicated to Atom processors, it is the only one compatible with certain functions such as using the bus in CMOS mode (we’ll talk about that later). The SCH is complete – it includes a GMA graphics circuit (based on a PowerVR architecture), an HD Audio circuit (simplified, capable of operating only in two channels), a P-ATA controller (Ultra DMA 5, 100 MB/s), and supports two PCI-Express lanes (for a Wi-Fi card, for example). There are also three SDIO/MMC controllers and support for 8 USB ports (with the possibility of using one in client mode). The choice of P-ATA is logical: The controllers used in flash memory are often in this format (used by Compact Flash cards). Three SD controllers might seem strange, but certain types of memory use that connectivity (OneNAND, for example). Also, the DDR2 controller of the SCH supports memory with a voltage of 1.5 V (as opposed to 1.8 V for the JEDEC specifications). This little detail is a way of further reducing power consumption. The Graphics End of Poulsbo On the graphics side there’s a new GMA, the GMA 500. It uses a unified architecture and supports 3.0+ Shaders. An interesting point is that it has hardware support for decoding of the H.264, MPEG2, MPEG4, VC1, and WMV9 formats. The frequency of the GMA 500 is 200 MHz or 100 MHz, depending on the chipset version, and it’s DirectX 10 compatible (not really useful, but worth mentioning), even though the drivers only support DirectX 9. Note that the graphics end is not of Intel origin, but uses a PowerVR technology, unlike other GMA models. An Interesting TDP The Atom Z500 has a TDP that varies between 0.85 W (for the 800 MHz version without HyperThreading) and 2.64 W (for the 1.86 GHz model with HyperThreading enabled). The SCH consumes approximately 2.3 W in its most evolved version, which brings the SCH + CPU together to under 5 W. By comparison with existing solutions, that’s obviously a big step forward – the Via Nano, for example, is announced at 25 W for the 1.8 GHz version and a Celeron-M ULV at 5 W at 900 MHz.

• The white plastic housing of the Synology DS207+ is solid and well-constructed, and the front of the housing is well-organized. LEDs inform you of the operating state of the hard drives, network activity, and the status of the Disk Station DS207+ itself. In addition to the On/Off button there is also a USB port and eSATA port on the front. Data from a USB storage media can be copied directly onto the Disk Station by using the "USB Copy” button on the front. More USB Ports There are two more USB ports on the back panel of the DS207+. The unit supports USB storage mediums formatted with the FAT and NTFS file systems. It also supports USB printers and connections to UPS devices. It naturally attaches to the network via Gigabit Ethernet port. There is a reset button on the back too, as well as a notch in the housing for a Kensington lock. The 60 mm fan generates air circulation to help cool the housing. The DS207+ comes with an external power supply, which provides a maximum of 5.8 amps at 12 V. Accessories The Synology DS207+ doesn’t have hard drive racks, so the drives must be mounted directly to the device. This means a larger number of accessories compared to other NAS devices that do have mobile hard drive racks. In addition to the external power supply with power cord, you’ll find two SATA power and data cables, as well screws for mounting the hard drives. Also included are installation and quick-start manuals, a software CD, and an RJ-45 Ethernet cable. Installation Of Hard Drives After opening the housing, the hard drives can be mounted to the metal mount. A detailed installation manual explains where the different cables must be connected to the motherboard. Even users with a little bit of hardware experience can easily install the hard drives. There is one significant disadvantage to not having hard drive racks—the NAS device must be turned off if a hard drive has to be replaced. This means there will be times when your data is not accessible. SATA Controller and CPU from Marvell Inside the Disk Station there is a Marvell 88F5281 processor, which is based on the ARM architecture. The CPU is clocked at 500 MHz and complemented by 128 MB of main memory. The thermal power loss of the CPU is so low that it doesn’t even need a passive cooler, which eliminates potential noise from an additional fan. The 88SX7042 PCIe-to-Serial ATA controller is also from Marvell, and is used on the RocketRAID 2300 PCI Express RAID controller from Highpoint as well.

• The most familiar name in performance motherboards, Asus has produced premium models under its Deluxe label for several years. Today we examine the company's flagship P965 chipset product. Feature Overview The P5B Deluxe WiFi-AP Edition aims to win buyers by extending its feature set beyond what other manufacturers typically offer. This begins with the namesake WiFi card and extends to the dual PCI Express x16 graphics card slots, one with the full 16 pathways and the other limited to four (two when the PCI Express x1 slot is enabled). A remarkably good layout puts the 24-pin ATX and the 8-pin ATX12v (4-pin compatible with locator plug) on the edges, positions where power cables are unlikely to interfere with cooling. Like the AB9-Pro, a heat pipe cools the Northbridge through large sink that also cools VRM transistors, but Asus provided three additional power phases for a total of eight. The remaining four phases lack any additional cooling, though the circuit board is marked for an extra sink and includes pin holes to mount it. Offering praise for the six Serial ATA ports being lined up "beyond reach" of long graphics cards may be a bit premature, because test fitting an X1950XTX into the second slot revealed that two ports were partially blocked. We're a little more critical of the Ultra ATA connector that Asus turned ninety-degrees to increase card clearance, since the lower drive bays of typical ATX cases will often block access to this connector. Another contrast is the excellent floppy header placement at the upper end of the board, compared to the inconvenient Front Panel Audio connector placement in the lower rear corner. Connecting a Front Panel Audio cable to mid-mount or top-mount case panels will require routing it under, over or around cards (and hoping it stretches far enough). Asus P5B Deluxe/WiFi-AP (Rev. 1.03G) Northbridge Intel P965 Southbridge Intel ICH8R (82801HR) Voltage Regulator 8 Phases BIOS 0614 (09/08/06) Clock Generator CY28551LFXC 266.6 MHz (FSB1066) 266.6 MHz (-0.0%) Connectors and Interfaces onboard 2x PCIe x16 (2nd with x4/x2 pathways) 1x PCIe x1 3x PCI 4x USB 2.0 1x Firewire 1x Floppy 1x IDE 6x SATA 3.0Gb/s 1x Front Panel Audio 1x CD-In 1x S/P-DIF Out 1x Fan 4 pins (CPU) 5x Fan 3 pins (System) IO panel 2x PS2 (keyboard + mouse) 1x Serial Port 2x Network 1x 802.11b/g Wireless Antenna Jack 4x USB 2.0 1x eSATA 1x IEEE1394 FireWire 1x Digital Audio Out (optical+coaxial) 1x 7.1 Channel Audio, Mic-In, Line-In (6 jacks) Mass Storage Controllers ICH8R 6x SATA (RAID 0,1,5,10) JMicron JMB363 1x IDE (ATA133/100/66) 1x SATA (RAID 0,1, 0+1, JBOD) 1x External SATA Network Marvell 88E8056 PCIe 1x 1 Gbit/s LAN Marvell 88E8001 PCI 1x 1 Gbit/s LAN Audio Analog Devices AD1988B 7.1 AC97 or High Definition Audio FireWire Texas Instruments TI 43AB22A 2x 1394a (400 Mbit/s) The rear panel lacks a legacy parallel port but retains one serial port, adding eSATA plus the expected optical and coaxial digital audio connectors. High-end features include a FireWire port, dual Gigabit network connections, and a WiFi antenna jack.