ASUS Eee PC X101CH netbook with Ubuntu installed for only €199

Trying to increase the sales level of its own netbooks, ASUS decided to reduce the cost of some models by replacing the Windows 7 OS with Ubuntu. One of the first such solutions created on the basis of the new Intel Cedar Trail platform was the ASUS EeePC 1015CX model. Recently a netbook joined it.

The estimated price of the Windows version of this model is €259, and the version with Ubuntu OS will cost only €199. At the same time, the technical equipment of these two versions of the mobile computer is absolutely the same and includes:

10.1-inch LED-backlit display;

1 GB RAM;

HDD drive with a capacity of 320 GB;

integrated graphics core;

0.3 MP webcam;

a set of necessary external and network interfaces;

3-cell lithium-ion battery.

A detailed table of the technical specifications of the netbook is as follows:

The date the product was first introduced.

Lithography

Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.

Use Conditions

Use conditions are the environmental and operating conditions derived from the context of system use.
For SKU specific use condition information, see PRQ report.
For current use condition information, see Intel UC (CNDA site)*.

#ofCores

Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).

# of Threads

A Thread, or thread of execution, is a software term for the basic ordered sequence of instructions that can be passed through or processed by a single CPU core.

Processor Base Frequency

Processor Base Frequency describes the rate at which the processor"s transistors open and close. The processor base frequency is the operating point where TDP is defined. Frequency is measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billion cycles per second.

Cache

CPU Cache is an area of ​​fast memory located on the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to the architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.

Bus Speed

A bus is a subsystem that transfers data between computer components or between computers. Types include front-side bus (FSB), which carries data between the CPU and memory controller hub; direct media interface (DMI), which is a point-to-point interconnection between an Intel integrated memory controller and an Intel I/O controller hub on the computer’s motherboard; and Quick Path Interconnect (QPI), which is a point-to-point interconnect between the CPU and the integrated memory controller.

TDP

Thermal Design Power (TDP) represents the average power, in watts, the processor dissipates when operating at Base Frequency with all cores active under an Intel-defined, high-complexity workload. Refer to Datasheet for thermal solution requirements.

Embedded Options Available

Embedded Options Available indicates products that offer extended purchase availability for intelligent systems and embedded solutions. Product certification and use condition applications can be found in the Production Release Qualification (PRQ) report. See your Intel representative for details.

Max Memory Size (dependent on memory type)

Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.

Memory Types

Intel® processors come in four different types: a Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode.

Max # of Memory Channels

The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.

Graphics Base Frequency

Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.

Sockets Supported

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology‡

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t.

Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility‡

Intel® vPro™ Technology is a set of security and manageability capabilities built into the processor aimed at addressing four critical areas of IT security: 1) Threat management, including protection from rootkits, viruses, and malware 2) Identity and website access point protection 3) Confidential personal and business data protection 4) Remote and local monitoring, remediation, and repair of PCs and workstations.

Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology‡

Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)‡

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)‡

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.

Intel® 64‡

Intel® 64 architecture delivers 64-bit computing on server, workstation, desktop and mobile platforms when combined with supporting software.¹ Intel 64 architecture improves performance by allowing systems to address more than 4 GB of both virtual and physical memory.

Instruction Set

An instruction set refers to the basic set of commands and instructions that a microprocessor understands and can carry out. The value shown represents which Intel’s instruction set this processor is compatible with.

Instruction Set Extensions

Instruction Set Extensions are additional instructions which can increase performance when the same operations are performed on multiple data objects. These can include SSE (Streaming SIMD Extensions) and AVX (Advanced Vector Extensions).

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery.

Intel® Demand Based Switching

Intel® Demand Based Switching is a power-management technology in which the applied voltage and clock speed of a microprocessor are kept at the minimum necessary levels until more processing power is required. This technology was introduced as Intel SpeedStep® Technology in the server marketplace.

Thermal Monitoring Technologies

Thermal Monitoring Technologies protect the processor package and the system from thermal failure through several thermal management features. An on-die Digital Thermal Sensor (DTS) detects the core"s temperature, and the thermal management features reduce package power consumption and thereby temperature when required in order to remain within normal operating limits.

Intel® Trusted Execution Technology‡

Intel® Trusted Execution Technology for safer computing is a versatile set of hardware extensions to Intel® processors and chipsets that enhance the digital office platform with security capabilities such as measured launch and protected execution. It enables an environment where applications can run within their own space, protected from all other software on the system.

Execute Disable Bit‡

Execute Disable Bit is a hardware-based security feature that can reduce exposure to viruses and malicious-code attacks and prevent harmful software from executing and propagating on the server or network.

The N2600 processor is aimed at the segment of mobile computing solutions with low performance, high energy efficiency and affordable cost. which will be discussed in detail later, and which belonged to line of ATOM chips. Intel classifies this entire line as one of the most budget-friendly solutions. Until recently, such CPUs could only be found in netbooks (includingN2600), but the rapid development of the niche of smartphones and tablets has led to the fact that this family of processors has been partially repurposed. Now they can be found in the previously mentioned mobile gadgets.

Socket

The final cost of a computing system in mobile personal computers based on ATOM line chips comes to the fore. Intel, as a result, it recommends not installing such CPUs in the usual processor socket, which is called a “SOCKET,” but soldering them directly on the motherboard. This, on the one hand, reduces the cost of the latter and simplifies the netbook production process. On the other hand, the maintainability of such a PC deteriorates,and if it breaks, it will be very, very problematic to repair it. Well, the processor socket in this case is designated asFCBGA559.That is, the number of contacts in this case is 559, and the abbreviationFCBGAand means that the processor is soldered with contacts to the motherboard.

Technological process. CPU frequency. Temperature conditions. Power consumption

Intel ATOM N2600 was produced using silicon crystal production technology with tolerance standards of 32 nm. Of course, there are now more advanced tolerances that correspond to 28 nm, 22 nm, 16 nm and even 14 nm, but at the time of the release of this chip this was the most advanced technology. In technical specificationsN2600technology support not specifiedTurboBoostand, as a result, this chip cannot dynamically adjust its clock speed, which is fixed at 1.6 GHz. At around 100 0 C is set to the maximum temperature value for this model of the processor device family ATOM. Intel guarantees that in combination with an active cooling system, this chip will operate at temperatures from 50 to 65 0 C. The thermal package value for this processor is set to 3.5 W. Theoretically, it can work in conjunction with passive system cooling, but taking into account everything previously stated, it is optimal to use an active heat sink based on a cooler with this semiconductor crystal.

Cash. RAM

Intel has only 2 levels of cache, and this is one of those features that significantly reduces its performance. The first level of this semiconductor fast memory solution has a total volume of 112 KB, which, in turn, is divided in half between the CPU cores. The size of each of these parts is 56 KB. These 56 KB are divided into 2 more parts of 24 KB and 32 KB, respectively, for instructions and for data. Simpler cache organization at level 2. Its total size is 1 MB, which is divided into 2 parts of 512 KB each. Physically, each of these parts can only interact with a specific computing unit. The N2600 is equipped with a single-channel RAM controller. The maximum size of the latter is set at 2.44 GB, and its type is DDR3.

Architectural features

This processor of the Intel ATOM family belonged to the generation codenamed Cedarview. The characteristics of this CPU indicated that it consisted of only 2 computing units. But support for HT technology makes it possible at the software level to increase the number of real code processing threads to 4. Among other features of the processor, it can be noted that its computing modules support 64-bit calculations. This chip was also equipped with an integrated graphics subsystem. Accelerator model: Intel GMA. This accelerator, like a processor device, operated at a fixed frequency, but its value in this case was only 400 MHz. As a result, one could not expect impressive performance from it, but it was quite enough for solving the most simple tasks.

Price. Feasibility of purchase. Reviews

The manufacturer priced the N2600 chip itself at $42. But netbooks based on it could be purchased for $200-250. For this money, the user received a full-fledged “workhorse” with initial performance, which was quite enough to solve all entry-level tasks. As an example, we can cite a very successful netbook model EeeRSX101CHfrom ASUS. Intel ATOM modelsN2600could also form the basis of convertible laptops. Its technical specifications and level of energy efficiency made it possible to easily create mobile devices that combine the advantages of both a tablet andlaptop.Again, a list of tasks, solved With such a transforming laptop, it is limited to the simplest: web surfing, office applications, watching videos, the simplest games and listening to audio recordings. But resource-intensive applications such as Photoshop and the latest 3D games certainly won’t run on such hardware. For such software, you need to buy a mobile computing system based on a processor device from the line Intel Core. ATOM same - a line of processors initially designed to solve the simplest typical tasks with low cost and minimal performance.

Summary

Mobile laptops and entry-level netbooks are the main application area for this model of the ATOM family processor. Intel also usesN2600in embedded systems and ultra-compact desktop PCs. All this indicates that in the absence of special requirements for computer performanceThe hero of this review can successfully serve as its computational basis.

Data has appeared on the Internet about the results of testing the new Intel Atom N2600 processor, which was carried out by specialists from the NetbookLive resource. Developed on a 32nm architecture, the low-power Cedar Trail chip uses two cores to achieve a clock speed of 1.6GHz. The integrated Intel graphics HD 3600 operates at a frequency of 400MHz and, according to preliminary information, can support up to 2Gb of RAM.

The new processor was tested on the ASUS Eee PC X101CH netbook. During testing, it was revealed that the chip copes well with playing both standard 720p Flash video from YouTube and full-scale FullHD video content (1080p). The chip is not initially equipped with a separate fan for cooling, but the tested sample did not show any signs of overheating during operation.

Compared to the Intel Atom N570 and AMD C-50 processors, the new N2600 chip showed lower CPU speed, but was significantly faster in comparative testing of graphics processing speed. In addition, when checking performance by testing chips in PCMark Vantage, the N2600 was also inferior in speed to the AMD C-50, but in the Cinebench 11.5 CPU and CrystalMark tests, the N2600 again showed better results, although it lost to its predecessors in graphics performance.

Let us remind you that the listed test results should be considered interim, and by the time work on the chip is completed, the data may change. As you know, work on the N2600 is currently suspended due to the elimination of some problems with the software.