Why Does the NC20 Use the Via Nano Processor?

Via Nano

A few readers have asked why Samsung have chosen the Via Nano this time around, instead of the Intel Atom that featured in their Samsung NC10. We don’t know for sure, but here’s what we’ve heard!

Ever wonder why there are so few 12″ netbooks? The reason is: Intel! Their Atom processors are massively popular in netbooks because of their lower power needs.


The problem is, Intel didn’t want manufacturers to use Atoms instead of their usual laptop processors (core 2 duos, etc). Because of that, they came up with a plan: Intel designed the Atom processor so it would only work with screens up to 10″.

Why Via?

So, if you want to put out a netbook with a 12″ screen and a good amount of battery life, your only option is to switch to another processor.

Via previously used their ‘C7-M’ processors in HP mininote netbooks. The C7 provided ‘ok’ performance, but it a lot slower than the Intel Atom, and the mininote gained a bit of a reputation for being slow. Thankfully, Via recently released the Via Nano.

Via Nano processors share the low power consumption of Intel Atoms, BUT they also allow you to use screens above 10″ in size.

How does the NC20’s Via Nano Processor measure up to the NC10’s Intel Atom?

There are dozens of comparisons of the Via Nano & Intel Atom around. One with some very good objective tests comes from tweaktown. Here’s the summary:

  1. The Via Nano has lower power consumption than Intel Atom (about 8% less consumption while in use, and 6% less when idle)
  2. The Via Nano generates less heat (between 1/3 and 1/2 less heat generated)
  3. The Via Nano doesn’t need to work as hard to generate the same results. Tweaktown ran a test using a standard MPEG4 video. Their Intel Atom test system ran at 61% CPU usage to play the video. Their VIA Nano test system ran at just 23% CPU usage.
If you're looking to buy the Samsung NC20, you may want to look at our Recommended Samsung NC20 Suppliers Page.

February 8, 2009 · Filed under Samsung Nc20 Specification

5 Comments »

  1. mike Said,

    February 10, 2009 @ 6:47 pm

    It seems to me from other sites (eg tech crunch http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/06/here-come-the-12-inch-netbooks-and-intel-isnt-happy-about-it/) plus the fact that Dell sells a 12-inch Atom-based mini in the US that the Atom is capable of supporting a 12″ screen (or any size for that matter) but is afraid that it may have made a cheap chip that will displace its own higher-profiting dual-core racket.

  2. Jez - Samsung NC20 Community Said,

    February 11, 2009 @ 6:26 am

    And interestingly, if the rumour of Dell droping their twelve incher is true, Samsung might well be the only buying option for anyone who wants one. But to be honest I’m not sure the majority of consumers will be too aware of the different chips.

  3. 200,000 Samsung NC 20 laptops at launch. | Samsung NC20 Said,

    February 16, 2009 @ 12:49 am

    [...] We have also done our own comparison against the two processors, which you can find here. [...]

  4. Mark Said,

    February 27, 2009 @ 1:25 am

    “The Via Nano doesn’t need to work as hard to generate the same results. Tweaktown ran a test using a standard MPEG4 video. Their Intel Atom test system ran at 61% CPU usage to play the video. Their VIA Nano test system ran at just 23% CPU usage. ”

    Thats such an unfair comparison as the VIA Nano motherboard chipset has onboard support for video acceleration so the CPU is bound to be doing less work!!

  5. Samsung NC20 UK Launch - It’s Official | Samsung NC20 Said,

    April 16, 2009 @ 2:22 pm

    [...] Via Nano 1.3GHz processor [...]

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