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I am not going to start a general discussion about the processors that are currently available. Instead, we will take a look at the thermal and electrical data of the common models - which is what is most important with respect to VIA's new C3:
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Processor
Process
Core
Voltage
Clock
Output
Intel Celeron
0.18 µm
Coppermine
1.75 V
1100 MHz
33 W
Intel Celeron
0.13 µm
Tualatin
1.5 V
1400 MHz
35 W
Intel Celeron
0.18 µm
Willamette
1.55 V
1700 MHz
64 W
Intel Pentium III
0.13 µm
Tualatin
1.45 V
1400 MHz
31 W
Intel Pentium 4
0.18 µm
Willamette
1.75 V
2000 MHz
75 W
Intel Pentium 4
0.13 µm
Northwood
1.5 V
2533 MHz
59 W
AMD Duron
0.18 µm
Morgan
1.75 V
1300 MHz
60 W
AMD Athlon
0.18 µm
Thunderbird
1.75 V
1400 MHz
72 W
AMD Athlon XP
0.18 µm
Palomino
1.75 V
1733 MHz(2100+)
73 W
VIA C3
0.13 µm
Ezra-T
1.35 V
1000 MHz
12 W
The majority of processors sold currently run at least 1.2 GHz, but hardly anybody takes the time to look at what's behind the clock speed. VIA's C3 at 1 GHz comes with a maximum heat dissipation of as little at 12 Watts.
Here's some background on this number: 12 Watts is used by hard drives running on idle, energy-saving bulbs and portable radios or CD players. In contrast, the 70 Watts of a Pentium 4 or Athlon XP are enough to illuminate a small room, run a huge ventilator or even power a small television! Did you ever notice your workroom getting warmer in winter after working with a computer for several hours?
What if I told you that processors produce more heat per square inch than a hot plate, going back since the Pentium II? Yes, it's true: Modern processors are the most advanced heating systems around. Think about computer cases that are specifically built to heat up the surrounding area... but let's get back on topic. It's time to stop this waste of energy - one way or the other. VIA went the obvious way and reduced the power output.
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Patrick Schmid was the editor-in-chief for Tom's Hardware from 2005 to 2006. He wrote numerous articles on a wide range of hardware topics, including storage, CPUs, and system builds.
