VIA processors

VIA Processors

VIA offers a wide range of power efficient processors that are driving system innovation in the PC, client, ultra mobile and embedded markets. Providing industry leading performance per watt, miniaturization, low power consumption and compatibility with a complete range of feature rich VIA digital media chipsets, VIA processors are powering the new generation of embedded, mobile and consumer electronics devices.
The VIA Nano™ processor family and the VIA C7® processor family are targeted to specific applications based on power consumption and performance criteria, ranging from higher performance for mainstream desktop and notebook PCs, fanless operation to power saving capabilities for battery operated mobile devices.
VIA processors are designed by Centaur Technology, a wholly owned subsidiary of VIA Technologies, Inc. based in Austin Texas;

VIA Nano™ Processor

The first 64-bit, superscalar processors in VIA's x86 platform portfolio, VIA Nano processors have been specifically designed to revitalize traditional desktop, mobile and server markets, delivering truly optimized performance for the most demanding computing, entertainment and connectivity applications.
Building on the market-leading energy efficiency of the VIA C7® processor family, the VIA Nano processor family offers as much as four times the performance within the same power range to extend VIA's performance per watt leadership, while pin compatibility with VIA C7 processors will ensure a smooth transition for OEMs and motherboard vendors, providing them with an easy upgrade path for current system or board designs.
The VIA Nano processor family leverages advanced 65 nanometer process technology for the ideal blend of powerful performance and energy efficiency. Underscoring VIA's leadership in processor miniaturization, the VIA Nano processor comes with ultra compact dimensions, enabling a new generation of small form factor designs and new, smaller applications for the x86 platform.

• Package size: Compact VIA NanoBGA2 package (21mm x 21mm)
• Die size: 7.650mm x 8.275mm  (63.3 square mm)

VIA Nano 3000 Series Processors

Based on a new and enhanced 'Isaiah' architecture, and taking advantages of key fabrication optimizations, the latest VIA Nano 3000 Series processors deliver improved computational performance of approx twenty percent while also using up to twenty percent less energy overall.
These core improvements make the VIA Nano 3000 series processors an even more compelling option for a range of devices including thin and light notebooks, bringing a rich HD entertainment experience, including support for smooth playback of high bit-rate HD video, as well as low power consumption resulting in longer battery life.  New VIA Nano 3000 Series processors also bring enhanced digital media performance and lower power consumption to Windows 7-based devices including all-in-one desktop PC.
Building on the key features that made the VIA Nano processor a success, VIA Nano 3000 series processors now support a host of advanced features including 64-bit support, advanced CPU virtualization technology, SSE4 for enhanced multimedia processing, and the industry-leading encryption and security capabilities integrated in the VIA PadLock™ Security Engine.
VIA Nano 3000 series processors are fully compatible with all Microsoft operating systems, including the new Windows 7, as well as all popular Linux distributions. VIA Nano 3000 Series processors also use the NanoBGA2 package, making them pin-to-pin compatible with VIA Nano 1000 Series, VIA Nano 2000 Series, VIA C7, VIA C7-M and VIA Eden processors for easy upgrades of existing designs.


Here are some benchmarks comparing VIA Nano, VIA Nano 3000 and Intel Atom.

VIA Nano E-Series Processors VIA Nano E-Series processors are aimed specifically at the needs of the broader embedded industry, bringing technologies that will help revitalize embedded device design and power the next wave of embedded design innovation. Built on the successful 64-bit, superscalar architecture that powers the VIA Nano 3000 Series processor range, VIA Nano E-Series processors include extended longevity support of up to seven years and offer the most complete, low power microprocessor design in the industry today. Available at speeds from 800MHz to 1.8GHz, VIA Nano E-Series processors are a catalyst in the move to 64-bit software architecture, an essential transition for the future of the embedded industry. Operating systems such as Windows® Embedded Standard 7 will facilitate up to double data through put per clock cycle, making it easier to manipulate large data sets and increasing performance overall. The VIA Nano E-Series also brings VIA VT virtualization technology to embedded developers, allowing legacy software and applications to be used in virtual scenarios without impacting on performance. The unique VIA PadLock™ Security Engine offers hardware based data encryption standards that meet widely accepted international standards, an essential boon to protecting essential proprietary content and software.

VIA Isaiah Architecture Highlights World's most power-efficient out-of-order x86 architecture Full support for 64-bit operating systems High-performance superscalar processing Most efficient speculative floating point algorithm Advanced power and thermal management Full CPU virtualization support Leading-edge VIA PadLock™ hardware security features Pin-to-pin compatibility provides natural upgrade path from other VIA processors