Intel Atom

Intel Atom is a line of IA-32 and x86-64 instruction set ultra-low-voltage processors by Intel Corporation designed to reduce electric consumption and power dissipation in comparison with ordinary processors of the Intel Core series. Atom is mainly used in netbooks, nettops, embedded applications ranging from health care to advanced robotics, mobile Internet devices (MIDs) and phones. The line was originally designed in 45 nm complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology and subsequent models, codenamed Cedar, used a 32 nm process.

The first generation of Atom processors are based on the Bonnell microarchitecture. On December 21, 2009, Intel announced the Pine Trail platform, including new Atom processor code-named Pineview (Atom N450), with total kit power consumption down 20%. On December 28, 2011, Intel updated the Atom line with the Cedar processors.

In December 2012, Intel launched the 64-bit Centerton family of Atom CPUs, designed specifically for use in servers. Centerton adds features previously unavailable in Atom processors, such as Intel VT virtualization technology and support for ECC memory. On September 4, 2013, Intel launched a 22 nm successor to Centerton, codenamed Avoton.

In regard to Atom, Intel changed its direction after 2020. Instead of aiming Atom as a processor for mainstream devices as originally planned, it was repurposed/reoriented as a low power processor for low-cost laptops, embedded, edge, networking, and IoT applications. (Note: please compare the number of Atom processors available under the tabs 'Desktop', 'Embedded','Mobile', and 'Server' to sense this shift). However, to compensate for the void created by Atom's exit as the leading processor for mainstream devices, Intel introduced the Pentium and Celeron low-power chips for desktops/PCs that duly inherited Atom's noted low-power heritage.