Intel has revealed details of Silverthorne, the smallest x86-compatible processor at the International Solid State Circuits Conference in San Francisco California.

The Silverthorne is a tiny 25mm2 (full package is 14×13mm2) 64-bit multithreaded chip, based on Intel’s new 45nm Hi-k low power microarchitecture and it is aimed at MIDs or “mobile internet devices”. Silverthorne is also seen as competition for the ARM chip used in most smartphones and PDAs, but I believe it will definitely displace ARM chips soon.

Silverthorne Chip can run Windows, Linux, Mac and other desktop applications since it is based on the very popular x86 chipset. (If you will remember, Microsoft had to develop Microsoft CE for the ARM processor.) Silverthorne is also a low power chip (0.5W to 2W), promising a longer battery life for any devices where it is installed. With all these in consideration, Silverthorne will definitely find its home in UMPCs (ultramobile PCs) rather than mobile phones.

To find out more information about Silverthorne Chip, please visit the links below:

• Inside Intel’s Silverthorne ultramobile CPU
• Intel sheds a little more light on Silverthorne

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