Transmeta Unveils Zippier Crusoe Chips

As expected, on Monday Transmeta is launching two Crusoe processors--including an 800-MHz chip--manufactured using its new 0.13 micron technology.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is manufacturing the TM5800 and TM5500 Crusoe chips. That's a switch: IBM manufactured Transmeta's original Crusoe chips. Notably, Transmeta has now converted 100 percent of production-wafer manufacturing to TSMC's 0.13 micron lines. The new manufacturing process should lead to better performance as well as improved power savings. In fact, the company suggests the new chips will consume 20 percent less power than its previous processors.

Revving to 800 MHz

The TM5800 is available at clock speeds of 700 MHz, 733 MHz, 766 MHz, and 800 MHz, and will have 512KB of L2 cache memory. The 800-MHz model costs $198 in quantities of 1000 units, a standard measurement for chip pricing. The TM5500, with 256KB L2 cache, is available in speeds of 600 MHz, 667 MHz and 733 MHz, with a 1-GHz version expected to be available in the first half of next year. The 667-MHz version is available now, priced at $85, in 1000-unit quantities. The processors will also have on-chip single-data rate DRAM (dynamic RAM) and double-data rate DRAM.

Transmeta is also upgrading its Code Morphing Software to version 4.2. The software translates instructions meant for Intel's processors into Crusoe's language; it will improve power savings and performance on the software-based Crusoe chips. The upgraded software will be shipping in new chips in the next few months, Transmeta says.

Transmeta says plans to increase production of the new processors are proceeding as planned. However, early this month a major notebook vendor quietly nixed plans to use the chips in an upcoming product. The vendor claimed it could not get the chips necessary to launch its product in a timely fashion.