Atom vs Nano - HP Places Order for VIA's Nano CPU

VIA, a well known manufacturer of x86 processors, is reported to have received NANO CPU orders from leading notebook vendor HP. Apparently, the Taiwanese-based manufacturer has already started shipping the processors to HP, although details regarding quantities aren't yet available.

At this time, it is unknown whether HP will be using the Nano processors for upcoming notebooks or netbooks. However, regarding the recent rumors of a second version of HP's small-sized netbooks, the Nano CPUs, provided by VIA could actually land in one of HP's upcoming Mini Note PC models.

According to Digitimes's already famous industry sources, VIA has already started shipping the CPUs, which means we could soon see a new Nano-powered portable computer system from the current worldwide leading vendor of portable systems.

As most of you know, HP was among the first to introduce a new small-sized portable computer system, otherwise known as netbook. The Mini-Note 2133 PC has been designed to accommodate a VIA C7-M processor, compared to almost every other netbook currently available on the market, equipped with either an Intel Atom or a Celeron M processor.

According to VIA's comments, a first-tier notebook vendor is expected to roll out a new Nano-powered portable computer system sometime in October this year. Regarding the C7-M processor that is featured on HP's 2133 Mini-Note PC, it looks like a total of 500.000 have already been shipped from VIA to the American system vendor. This is an indication of HP's expectations for this year as far as its netbook business goes.

Following related information, VIA is expected to release a new form factor platform, between the end of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009. The form factor's size will be only half of that of the Pico-ITX (the company's current smallest form factor, which measures 100 by 72 mm), which will be dubbed Mobile-ITX and will support the company's Eden, C-7 and Nano processor-based platforms.