Low voltage processor

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Low- and ultra-low-voltage processors are sub-types of notebook processors . They differ from so-called mainstream processors primarily due to their consumption and equipment details.

LV processors

( L ow- V oltage in German about low voltage )

Selected standard mobile processors with lower core voltage and clock rate and thus also lower power consumption for passively cooled systems and also extremely flat notebooks (less than 2 cm high). These processors do not offer the computing power of standard mobile processors, but they require so little energy and give off so little heat that the battery life is significantly longer.

Models:

ULV

AMD Geode LX 800

( U ltra- L ow- V oltage in German about extremely low voltage )

Specially selected standard mobile processors with even lower voltages and clock rates as well as lower front side bus clock rates compared to the LV and standard versions. As a result, the energy requirement and the heat development are significantly reduced, which leads to even longer battery runtimes.

For the private sector, Intel has introduced the processor designation CULV : C onsumer U ltra- L ow- V oltage

Models:

Notes on LV and ULV processors

Price-performance

Buyers of “normal” notebooks are often irritated that LV and especially ULV models are significantly more expensive despite the low performance data such as CPU clock, RAM equipment, hard disk capacity , and lack of dedicated graphics chips . This is mainly due to the high prices of these processors. A Core Duo L2400 clocked at 1.6 GHz costs $ 316, a comparable T2300 (1.66 GHz) $ 241. As a rule, special chipset variants are also installed, which are also more expensive. In addition, other components (e.g. voltage converters, capacitors) are also optimized and selected for use in the low-voltage area. This increases the manufacturing cost considerably. As a result, these components are often built into specialty and niche products where customers are willing to pay higher prices for their small size, high durability and long battery life. This is why these processors are particularly found in tablet PCs , subnotebooks , embedded systems and computers that are particularly protected against dust, water and impacts. In this target group, it's not just about computing power and marketing-effective figures.

These processors also often find their way into the manufacturers' “embedded” programs. The manufacturers give special guarantees for support and availability beyond the normal life cycle of modern processors. The "original" Pentium was delivered as an embedded product until November 2005.

Power supply problem

Within a few milliseconds, the power output of the voltage converters must be increased from a few milli-amperes to transiently well over 20 amperes. All of this without settling or dips in voltage, as otherwise the processor would crash while it is working. This is done by means of a voltage regulator (VR = Voltage Regulator) followed by a super-fast MOSFET driver . In order for the developers to adhere to the tight specifications, Intel designed the IMVP specification, which defines and describes the logic and functionality of some signals on the processor module. Version IV of this specification is valid for the Pentium M series. Various manufacturers offer modules for connection to this control bus (for example Analog Devices ADP3205a).