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VIA unveils latest C3, announces design wins

Taiwan's flavour of the month

Taiwan's VIA launched its latest x86-compatible 0.15 micron C3 processor today, the EBGA (Enhanced Ball Grid Array) packaged C3 E-Series.

The company also said it signed a number of leading local noteboook makers to offer machines based on the chip.

The C3 E-Series is functionally identical to the previously released standard PGA C3. It runs at up to 733MHz with a 100 or 133MHz frontside bus, and includes 192KB of on-die L1 (128KB) and L2 (64KB) cache. The die is 52mm square. The processor is compatible with Intel's MMX and AMD's 3DNow! instruction sets.

The chip can be fitted onto any Socket 370-based motherboard.

The first to do so will presumably be the various Taiwanese computer makers who've signed up to use the chip. VIA said that Arima, Twinhead, Quanta and others will put the C3 into low-cost notebooks which will make it to market in a couple of months' time.

Machines based on the chip could cost as little as $940, VIA claimed.

The C3 competes with Intel's Low-Voltage Mobile Pentium III, AMD's new Mobile Duron and Transmeta's Crusoe TM5600. All four suppliers boast about how their chips' low power consumption, low heat generation and small size make them ideal for notebooks. ®

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