No surprise here, but VIA’s issued a press release officially announcing that Samsung’s NC20, the 12-inch successor to the NC10 netbook, does indeed have a VIA Nano CPU – a fact that’s been known for quite some time now. Along with the news, we’ve got some official specs for the soon-to-be-released computer, although we still don’t have official pricing or launch dates.
First, the specs:
- 12.1-inch LED WXGA (1280 x 800) screen
- VIA Nano™ ULV Processor U2250 (1.3+GHz, 800MHz)
- Integrated VIA Chrome9 graphics
- Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
- 1GB DDR2 RAM (1*SODMM)
- 160GB HDD (9.5mmH 2.5”HDD, SATA)
- 1.3 MP web camera
- Ethernet/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth
- Three USB ports, 3-in-1 card reader
- Six-cell battery good for up to 6.5 hours
- Weighs 3.3 pounds
Hopefully that RAM is easily upgradeable. The Nano chipset can apparently handle up to 4GB of RAM and people might want more than 1GB to play with. Also – and I never thought I’d say this about a laptop – that 3.3-pound weight actually seems a bit heavy for a netbook. It’s probably a small price to pay for a six-cell battery, though, if you’re looking for almost day-long computing without needing to recharge.
Again, no official word on pricing and availability here in the US, although Amazon UK has the machine listed at £379.54 (just under $550 US) with a March 1st in-stock date.
Here’s the full press release:
Samsung Adopts VIA Nano Processor for the Samsung NC20 12.1″ Mini-Notebook
VIA Nano processor platform enables the Samsung NC20 to deliver superior performance and battery life in a sleek 12.1″ mini-notebook form factor
Taipei, Taiwan, 27 February 2009 – VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced that Samsung has adopted the VIA Nano processor in the new Samsung NC20 mini-notebook.
Combining the power efficient 1.3+GHz VIA Nano™ processor with the highly-integrated VIA VX800 system media processor, the Samsung NC20 also features a stunning 1280×800 12.1″ display, ensuring an outstanding video experience and enabling a full-size 12″ notebook keyboard with optimized 18.5mm key spacing and larger touchpad in a highly portable device that weighs just 1.52kg.
Mobility is enhanced by 802.11b/g and Bluetooth wireless connectivity, and a six-cell battery that provides up to 6.5 hours of use independent of any power supply, while storage options include either a solid state disk or a SATA hard disk drive. Other features include an integrated 1.3 mega pixel digital motion camera, 3-in-1 memory card reader and three built-in USB ports.
“We are delighted that Samsung has adopted the VIA Nano processor for the Samsung NC20,” said Richard Brown, Vice President of Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. “This is a truly ground-breaking product that sets the new industry standard for consumer mini-notes and clearly demonstrates the advanced performance of our VIA Nano processor platform.”
Samsung NC20 Mini-Notebook Specifications
Screen: 12.1″ LED WXGA (1280 x 800)
CPU: VIA Nano™ ULV Processor U2250 (1.3+GHz, 800MHz)
Chipset: VIA VX800 Unified Digital Media IGP Chipset
Graphics: Integrated VIA Chrome9™ with DirectX 9.0 3D graphics support and hardware video acceleration
OS: Microsoft○R Windows○R XP Home Edition
Memory: 1GB DDR2 (1*SODMM)
Storage: 160GB HDD (9.5mmH 2.5”HDD, SATA)
Webcam: 1.3 Mega pixels web camera
LAN: 10/100Mbps LAN
Wireless: Atheros 802.11 b/g
Bluetooth: 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
I/O Ports: USB2.0 x 3, Ethernet LAN, 3-in-1 card reader
Battery: 6 cells Li-ion Battery Standard
Dimensions: 292.4mm x 217mm x 30.7mm
Weight: 1.52kg
Special
Features: 6.5 hours battery life
Colours: WhiteAbout the VIA Nano Processor Platform
The first 64-bit, superscalar processors in VIA’s x86 platform portfolio, VIA Nano processors have been specifically designed to revitalize traditional desktop and notebook PC markets, delivering truly optimized performance and security for the most demanding computing, entertainment and connectivity applications. The VIA Nano processor is coupled with the VIA VX800 system media processor with support for full Microsoft® DirectX® 9.0 3D graphics, high definition video and audio playback, and up to 4GB of DDR2 system memory.The VIA Nano processor family leverages advanced 65 nanometer process technology for enhanced power efficiency, and augments that with aggressive power and thermal management features within the compact 21mm x 21mm nanoBGA2 package for an idle power as low as 100mW (0.1W), extending the reach of power efficient green and silent PCs, thin and light notebooks and mini-notes around the world. For further information on the VIA Nano processor family, please visit the VIA website at:
http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/processors/nano/