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Until now, however, no vendor has launched a product using the C-50, which is like the E-350 in having dual "Bobcat" cores, but is clocked at a lower 1GHz and rated for a 9-Watt TDP (see later in this story for background). Acer features this new CPU in its Aspire One 522 (above), which is said to provide six hours of operation via its six-cell, 4400mAh battery.
While it's like the majority of other netbooks in sporting a 10.1-inch screen, the AO522 ups resolution from the usual 1024 x 600 pixels to 1280 x 720, according to Acer. The device can also drive an external monitor or TV via an HDMI port, the company adds.
According to Acer, the AO522 includes an A50M controller hub and comes with 1GB of DDR3 RAM (expandability is not detailed) plus a 250GB hard disk drive. Other features include a 1.3 megapixel webcam, 802.11b/g/n wireless networking, a memory card reader, an Ethernet port, and three USB ports, says the company.
The AO522 runs Windows 7 Starter Edition and comes with Microsoft Office Starter 2010, an advertising-supported suite that includes limited-functionality versions of Word and Excel. Bluetooth and a 3G cellular modem will be available as options, Acer says, though no further details were provided.
Features and specifications listed by Acer for the Aspire One 522 include:
Background on AMD's Fusion processors
AMD's Fusion devices all incorporate the x86 CPU core codenamed "Bobcat." Illustrated below, this features an out-of-order execution engine -- which breaks data apart and allows for instructions to run in parallel -- plus clock and power gating that can extend battery life, according to the company.
According to AMD, its "2011 mainstream platform" -- to be available by the middle of this year -- will feature the A-series "Llano" processor, including up to four Bobcat cores. This will deliver performance of more than 500 gigaflops, says the chipmaker.
Initially available, however, is the "2011 low power platform," formerly codenamed "Brazos." As depicted above, this combines an E-series (formerly "Zacate") or C-series (formerly "Ontario") processor with the "Husdon" controller hub, a southbridge based on the previously released SB800.
| Model | CPU Cores | CPU Clock Speed | Number of GPU Cores | GPU clock Speed | TDP |
| AMDE-350 | 2 | 1.6GHz | 80 | 500MHz | 18W |
| AMDE-240 | 1 | 1.5GHz | 80 | 500MHz | 18W |
| AMDC-50 | 2 | 1.0GHz | 80 | 280MHz | 9W |
| AMDC-30 | 1 | 1.2GHz | 80 | 280MHz | 9W |
AMD says the E-series CPUs are intended for mainstream notebooks, all-in-one computers, and small form factor desktops. The C-series CPUs, meanwhile, are designed for "HD netbooks and other emerging form factors," and presumably will also be the first Fusion processors to feature in embedded devices.
Further information
Acer does not yet appear to have its own product page for the Aspire One 522, but details may be found on an Amazon product page, which lists the device as being pre-orderable for approximately $330.
