VIA announces 'world's most efficient' quad-core processor

CPU manufacturer VIA Technologies has unveiled an energy efficient quad-core processor designed to provide high-performance multi-tasking, multimedia playback and internet browsing.

VIA claims that the 1.2GHz QuadCore is the most energy efficient quad-core chip on the market, with a Thermal Design Power of 27.5 watts.

The chip is 21 per cent more energy efficient than competing products, and ideal for use within desktops, laptops and mini-server system design applications, the manufacturer claimed.

The QuadCore is natively 64-bit compatible, and additional features include Adaptive Overclocking technology, 4MB L2 cache and a 1,333MHz V4 bus.

Virtualisation is also supported, allowing the use of legacy software and applications, and VIA's PadLock security offers AES encryption via an Advanced Cryptography Engine.

The release of the QuadCore is aimed at bringing VIA closer to AMD and Intel, according to Giorgio Nebuloni, a senior research analyst at IDC.

"VIA is mainly known for powering servers, but the QuadCore could be used in laptops as they need low voltage chips," he told V3.co.uk.

"Support for virtualisation is a positive step, but VIA needs to catch up on the manufacturing side as it is still using the 40nm process, compared to Intel's 32nm process." 

VIA is the world's largest x86 CPU supplier, but the firm ships around one million processors per quarter compared to Intel's 80 million, Nebuloni said.

"If VIA is to break into the US and European market the firm needs to win over OEM support before trying to gain the acceptance of consumers," he added.

"As integrating CPUs and GPUs onto one chip is becoming increasingly common, energy efficiency is an area where VIA can differentiate itself from competitors."

Sergis Mushell, principal research analyst at Gartner agreed that lower power processors are becoming increasingly important to all system manufacturers.

"Lower power CPUs are needed for mobile platforms which need to offer all day battery life, typically eight hours," he said.

"Intel's latest announcement on 3D transistors is compelling from a low power offering point of view, and VIA's QuadCore announcement is timely as it keeps the manufacturer in the playing field."

VIA is to start shipping the processor in the third quarter of 2011 and will be displaying the chip at the Computex trade show at the Taipei International Convention Center from 31 May to 4 June.

V3.co.uk will be in attendance at Computex to bring you all the latest news.