Quick question is the Intel Atom 64 or 32 bit?

Fox5

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2005
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The desktop atoms (230 and 330) are 64 bit. All netbook atoms are 32 bit.
 

ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
I don't see why they didn't just make all of them 64-bit capable.
Are they running different dice? I'm assuming x86-64 support is not on chips that don't support it, it's a small chip after all and those transistors are probably expensive. However it wouldn't be the first time Intel artificially disabled something for market reasons.
 

Ben90

Platinum Member
Jun 14, 2009
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also amd owns the x64 license so since no atom will see 4+ gigs of ram there is no point in artificially increasing the cost
 

Soleron

Senior member
May 10, 2009
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Originally posted by: ViRGE
Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
I don't see why they didn't just make all of them 64-bit capable.
Are they running different dice? I'm assuming x86-64 support is not on chips that don't support it, it's a small chip after all and those transistors are probably expensive. However it wouldn't be the first time Intel artificially disabled something for market reasons.

No, they actually disabled it.

To physically remove 64-bit from the die would be years of design work, just like adding it was.
 

hans007

Lifer
Feb 1, 2000
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its disabled. they dont want netbooks to sound too powerful, or it would affect sales of higher end laptop cpus too much. it already has even with all the disabling.

im sure its the same reason theres no dual core atom netbooks yet (i mean if a n270 is 2.5 w max, a dual core would be... 5W and not much power draw difference, but there are none of these for sale)