main

Via launches 'carbon free' computing

Steven Parker   on 12 October 2006 - 19:47 · 12 comments & 6176 views

Advertisement (Why?)
VIA Technologies, the Taiwanese manufacturer of microprocessors and chipsets, announced on Wednesday that it is billing its C7-D chip as the world's first "carbon free" processor.

Launched in September as a "carbon neutral" chip, the step up in billing reflects Via's hope to capture more of the market for energy-efficient technologies. This market is growing as organizations come under increasing pressure to closely monitor the impact IT has on the environment.

The C7-D processor uses a fraction of the electrical power required by AMD or Intel processors, the company says.

Reducing power usage reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that is emitted into the atmosphere by power generators. To support its claims about the C7-D, Via soon will publish a paper by environmental consultants Best Foot Forward (BFF) that outlines the savings in carbon use that result from use of the chip.

Via has also committed to a program of energy conservation and tree planting that is designed to offset carbon emissions caused by computers using its chips.

View: Full Story @ C|net News

Post a comment · Send to friend Comments · There are 12 additional comments
(3 replies) #1 TRC on 12 Oct 2006 - 19:53
It also has a fraction of the market share, do they really expect us to believe these chips are going to make any difference in the amount of pollution power plants put out? The chip itself sounds nice and it's low power consumption would have been a great selling point in itself. This whole "carbon free" marketing thing is just stupid though.
#1.1 DeeJay2 on 12 Oct 2006 - 20:18
Wow, that was an ignorant comment, TRC. Did you not know that processors are used in more devices than just PCs?
#1.2 TRC on 12 Oct 2006 - 20:32
What devices are going to be using the C7-D processor besides desktop computers, and when you produce this list how many of those (if any exist) are going to be plugged into a wall outlet? Finally please demonstrate what impact on power plant CO2 emmisions these devices will make. I'll wait for your results.

Next time you call someone's comment ignorant you might want to do a bit more research on your own.
#1.3 underscorebios on 13 Oct 2006 - 13:50
Quote - TRC said @ #1.2
What devices are going to be using the C7-D processor besides desktop computers, and when you produce this list how many of those (if any exist) are going to be plugged into a wall outlet? Finally please demonstrate what impact on power plant CO2 emmisions these devices will make. I'll wait for your results.

Next time you call someone's comment ignorant you might want to do a bit more research on your own.


Point of sales machines, ATM's, kiosks, automation, car pc's etc etc etc
All of the above tend to use integrated solutions with either miniatx or microatx architecture many based on via processors.
They do not whant you to believe their chips will make a difference, they just whant people to aknowledge that there is a difference to be made, but intel and amd are also moving to less power hungry designs, so they are trying to make that difference also.
#2 zivan56 on 12 Oct 2006 - 20:27
Sure, my Pentium 4 Prescott generates no carbon dioxide as well. Btw, forgot to mention my power comes from a hydroelectric dam...
#3 Ravensworth on 12 Oct 2006 - 20:41
When I read the title I thought they were making processors with no carbon in them. Very misleading, sounds like a lame marketing gimmick for the tree hugging hippies. They didn't mention that along with a fraction of the power usage compared to Intel and AMD is also has a fraction of the performance. This isn't something new either, the VIA C3 came out years ago and was also a very lower power chip. I built a work PC for someone using it and it didn't even need a CPU fan, just a heat sink. The C3 was never any competition for Intel and AMD though and neither will this be. As for making any noticable change in the carbon dioxide levels power plants put out that is just hilarious. The amount of power all these C7 processors use altoghther will be just a drop in the ocean compared to the power used by everything else in the world.
#4 treemonster on 12 Oct 2006 - 22:26
i want a pc that runs on gasoline.
#5 QwertyManiac on 13 Oct 2006 - 01:03
Carbon free, why does carbon remind me only of NFS. :p
#6 Mike Frett on 13 Oct 2006 - 02:59
You guys are confused. VIA doesn't make heaters, unlike a few others.
(1 reply) #7 |Maxim| on 13 Oct 2006 - 08:35
"The C7-D processor uses a fraction of the electrical power required by AMD or Intel processors, the company says."

it article fails to mention that it also delivers a fraction of the performance
#7.1 Adequate on 14 Oct 2006 - 09:36
Oh really? Compare a C3 with an Intel 80286...

Who has the fraction of performance now?

QED!


(Hey, whoever said anything about "same generation" comparison?)
#8 Croquant on 13 Oct 2006 - 13:47
I want a completly carbon-based computer. How are we ever going to have our robots take over the world if they're not carbon-based lifeforms as well?

Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!

Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.

Advertisement (Why?)