Ultra-low-voltage processors (ULV processors) are a class of

microprocessor A microprocessor is a computer processor where the data processing logic and control is included on a single integrated circuit, or a small number of integrated circuits. The microprocessor contains the arithmetic, logic, and control circu ...

that are deliberately

underclock Underclocking, also known as downclocking, is modifying a computer or electronic circuit's timing settings to run at a lower clock rate than is specified. Underclocking is used to reduce a computer's power consumption, increase battery life, redu ...

ed to consume less power (typically 17 W or below), at the expense of performance. These processors are commonly used in

subnotebook Subnotebook, also called ultraportable, superportable, or mini notebook, was a marketing term for laptop computers that are smaller and lighter than a typical notebook-sized laptop. Types and sizes As typical laptop sizes have decreased over t ...

netbook Netbook was a commonly used term that identified a product class of small and inexpensive laptops which were sold from 2007 to around 2013. These machines were designed primarily as cost-effective tools for consumers to access the Inte ...

s, ultraportables and

embedded device An embedded system is a computer system—a combination of a computer processor, computer memory, and input/output peripheral devices—that has a dedicated function within a larger mechanical or electronic system. It is ''embedded'' as ...

s; where low heat dissipation and long

battery life An electric battery is a source of electric power consisting of one or more electrochemical cells with external connections for powering Electricity, electrical devices. When a battery is supplying power, its positive terminal is the cathode a ...

are required.

Notable examples

Intel Atom Intel Atom is the brand name for a line of IA-32 and x86-64 instruction set ultra-low-voltage processors by Intel Corporation designed to reduce electric consumption and power dissipation in comparison with ordinary processors of the Intel Cor ...

– Up to 2.0 GHz at 2.4 W (Z550) *

Intel Pentium M The Pentium M is a family of mobile 32-bit single-core x86 microprocessors (with the modified Intel P6 microarchitecture) introduced in March 2003 and forming a part of the Intel Carmel notebook platform under the then new Centrino brand. The ...

– Up to 1.3 GHz at 5 W (ULV 773) * Intel Core 2 Solo – Up to 1.4 GHz at 5.5 W (SU3500) *

Intel Core Solo Intel Core is a line of streamlined midrange consumer, workstation and enthusiast computer central processing units (CPUs) marketed by Intel Corporation. These processors displaced the existing mid- to high-end Pentium processors at the time ...

– Up to 1.3 GHz at 5.5 W (U1500) * Intel Celeron M – Up to 1.2 GHz at 5.5 W (ULV 722) *

VIA Eden VIA Eden is a name of a variant of VIA's C3/ C7 x86 processors, designed to be used in embedded devices. They have smaller package sizes, lower power consumption, and somewhat lower computing performance than their C equivalents, due to reduced c ...

– Up to 1.5 GHz at 7.5 W *

VIA C7 The VIA C7 is an x86 central processing unit designed by Centaur Technology and sold by VIA Technologies. Product history The C7 delivers a number of improvements to the older VIA C3 cores but is nearly identical to the latest VIA C3 Nehemiah ...

– Up to 1.6 GHz at 8 W (C7-M ULV) *

VIA Nano The VIA Nano (formerly Code name#Commercial code names in the computer industry, code-named VIA Isaiah) is a 64-bit CPU for personal computers. The VIA Nano was released by VIA Technologies in 2008 after five years of development by its CPU divi ...

– Up to 1.3 GHz at 8 W (U2250) * AMD Athlon Neo – Up to 1 GHz at 8 W (Sempron 200U) *

AMD Geode Geode was a series of x86-compatible system-on-a-chip microprocessors and I/O companions produced by AMD, targeted at the embedded computing market. The series was originally launched by National Semiconductor as the Geode family in 1999. The or ...

– Up to 1 GHz at 9 W (NX 1500) *

Intel Core 2 Duo Intel Core is a line of streamlined midrange consumer, workstation and enthusiast computer central processing units (CPUs) marketed by Intel Corporation. These processors displaced the existing mid- to high-end Pentium processors at the time o ...

– Up to 1.3 GHz at 10 W (U7700) * Intel Core i3/i5/i7 – Up to 1.5 GHz at 13 W (Core i7 3689Y) * AMD A Series – Up to 3.2 GHz at 15 W (A10-7300P)

Notable examples

See also