Via Technologies is taking aim at the larger microprocessor market.
Via Technologies unveiled the Nano, a new CPU designed for ultra small computers and an upgrade from its C7 microprocessor already powering low-powered computers, such as HP's Mini Note portable.

VIA Technologies announced Thursday its Nano processor family, based on the 64-bit Isaiah architecture.

Nano, the successor to VIA's C7 chips, is said to offer four times the performance whilst keeping within the same power envelope.

The architecture, developed by subsidiary Centaur Technology, uses Fujitsu's 65 nanometre technology to deliver "the first 64-bit, super scalar, speculative out-of-order processors in VIA's x86 platform portfolio". The new architecture provides 1MiB of L2 cache, clock speeds of up to 1.8GHz and a front-side bus starting at 800MHz.

VIA states that the 21x21mm chip will "revitalize traditional desktop and notebook PC markets, delivering truly optimized performance for the most demanding computing, entertainment and connectivity applications, including Blu-ray Disc, HD video playback and the latest PC games, such as Crysis."

When Via was asked how the Nano stacks up against Intel's Atom, "The Nano is definitely faster, I said that originally and I'm very sure of that now," said Glenn Henry, president of Centaur Technology.

The Nano chips now available to OEMs come in two SKUs; the Nano L-Series for the mainstream desktop or mobile PCs, and the U-Series for ultra-mobile devices.