Intel Atom Oak Trail Coming Soon

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Intel’s Atom processors have been a big hit in netbooks and other ultra-portable computer platforms, and now an unconfirmed report has hit the internet saying that Intel is looking to replace their Z-series Atom processors with a new chip, dubbed “Oak Trail”. The Z-series of Atom chips is currently in a wide selection of MIDs and Netbooks.

Website Pocketables.net is reporting that the Atom N450, which a Pine Trail chip, is “too big” to be considered a replacement for the popular Z-series of Atom processors. They’re speculating that the new “Oak Trail” processors will be modified architecture of Intel’s Moorestown processors.

Intel’s Moorestown, an upcoming processor design, is a complete SoC (System on a Chip) that is designed for smartphones and optimized for Linux platforms like Moblin and MeeGo. Reportedly, the Mooretown chips won’t run Windows. Although Linux might be a better choice for lower-end hardware, as we’ve discussed previously here, many computer manufacturers feel uncomfortable selling non-Windows PCs to customers at the entry-level.

So the unconfirmed rumor, as it stands, is that the is new Oak Trail processor will be a SoC design that will be similar to Moorestown with support for Windows operating systems. Like all new processors, it’s said to be more energy efficient and more powerful than the current Atom X5xx processors.