Intel to launch dual-core Atom CPU in Q3?

Intel is all set to launch its low-power Atom processors next month as It looks to find its place in the market for low-cost desktops and notebooks. But while the company has only publicly acknowledged a single-core 1.6GHz Atom 230 processor, a leaked roadmap last month suggested that a dual core version was also in the works.

Well, the folks over at Fudzilla are now lending those rumors some more credence courtesy of a supposedly legitimate leak that confirms the chipmaker’s plans to release its first dual-core Atom processor in Q3 of this year. Dubbed the Atom 330, the chip will clock in at the same 1.6GHz as the single-core Atom 230 – though earlier reports hinted at a 1.87GHz variant.

The processor will supposedly feature a 533MHz FSB, 1MB L2 cache memory and boast a TDP rating of just 8W, which is a bit higher than the 2W rating the Atom 230 has, but still decent for a dual-core CPU and quite less than any of Intel’s current portable chips. Unfortunately, there’s no word as to how much this processor will cost.