AMD developing low-power CPU for netbooks?

Today' s reports reveal a slide that shows AMD is likely developing a low-power CPU that would be used in netbooks such as the ASUS Eee PC or MSI Wind. The 64-bit, 1GHz chip features an 8W Thermal Design Power (TDP) for its memory controller and CPU, which is well below its normal notebook offerings but above the power use of the company's Geode processors.

Instruction and Data caches of 64KB capacity are integrated onto the chip, which measures just over 1 inch squared. It runs on DDR2-400 memory and bus speeds are rated at 800MHz.

The 8W TDP excludes the new chip's use in devices such as UMPCs and MIDs, with that job still reserved for the likes of Intel's Atom chips, some of which are slower but sport TDP ratiings as low as 0.6W. While not groundbreaking, the new chip represents AMD's most ambitious effort to compete with the Atom yet.