Via Launches Low-Heat, Low-Power Processors

Via Technologies on Tuesday unveiled a line of low-power, low-heat processors designed for use in embedded applications such as set-top boxes and information appliances.

Called Eden, the line of embedded processors is based on an x86 processor core and is designed to be used without requiring a fan to dissipate heat. By comparison, most other x86 processors require a large heat sink and a fan to dissipate the heat that is generated by the processor.

"All along Via always emphasized we want to go to this low power consumption and low heat dissipation [route]," Wenchi Chen, the company's chief executive officer and president, says. "We've been putting a lot of effort in this."

The four Eden chips announced by Via--the VE1400, VE1500, VE2400, and VE2500--all incorporate 192KB of on-chip cache and require an operating voltage of between 1.05 volts and 1.2 volts. The chips are based on a modified version of the x86 processor core used in Via's C3 processor. The company, however, was not willing to disclose the specific clock speeds of the Eden chips.

"We know the PC industry has all along [focused on] the megahertz," Chen says. "We don't think the megahertz really reflects the performance of the product anymore."

"What we really want to see is how the [finished] product works," he says.

The entry-level VE1400 and VE1500 are designed to be used in applications such as thin clients, set-top boxes, and routers. The VE2400 and VE2500 are intended for these applications as well as Web pads, Tablet PCs, and electronic books, according to Paul Hsu, special assistant to the president at Via.

During the first quarter of next year, Via will add to this lineup with the release of the VE1600 and VE 2600. Later in the year, Via will add two other products, Hsu says. The VE3x00 is scheduled to ship in the second quarter and is designed to be used in dense servers. The VE4x00 will hit the market during the third quarter and offers enhanced MPEG2 and MPEG4 features as well as support for faster DDR SDRAM.

Eden chip sets offer support for SDRAM as well as 3D graphics.