Intel revokes Atom CPU discount from Lenovo, Samsung

According to Digitimes, Lenovo and Samsung has lost their special discount on Atom N270 processors because the two has broken Intel’s “rules” with regards to netbook screen sizes. Lenovo has the 12-inch IdeaPad S12 and Samsung is about to lauch its 11.6-inch N510, although this is as far as we know, exclusivly using the Nvidia ION platform.

We’re curios why this doesn’t apply to Dell and Acer as well, as Dell has had a 12-inch model and Acer have multiple 11.6-inch models under its various brands. However, Intel might just be letting Dell and Acer get away with it, as neither of these models use the Diamondville or N-series Atom processors.

Considering the hefty price Intel is charging for Atom processors that aren’t bought with its 945GSE chipset one has to start wonder if this isn’t all a scheme to get Lenovo and Samsung to shy away from using other solutions in their netbooks.

Lenovo might be even worse off, as the company is also offering a VIA Nano powered model, but then again, Samsung also has its 12-inch VIA Nano powered NC20.

It seems like Intel wants to keep a tight grip on the netbook market, but it might end up backfiring in the end, as people are still very sceptical about the Silverthorne or Z-series Atom processors and as this seems to be the future for Atom with the upcoming Pineview series of processors building on it instead of the Diamondville based N-series of Atom processors which so far most consumers have preferred.

There’s no word with regards to the N280 processor and although it doesn’t offer much of a performance advantage, at least for now, it seems like Lenovo and Samsung might not be penalized for using this CPU.