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Mobile Module (MMO)

Notebook PCs have always represented the greatest design challenges for system makers due to their restrictions on size and weight, and the difficulty in cooling them. To combat this the trend has been toward more and more miniaturization. Intel is continuing this trend by introducing mobile module packaging, which actually incorporates the processor, secondary cache, and chipset into a small module. One could argue that this is almost a motherboard in its own right; it isn't really, but it's pretty close.

Aside from miniaturization, Intel gains from this design tighter control over the interface between the chipset and processor, and also the electrical connections between them, which become more important as performance increases. Of course, it is also a proprietary design, giving Intel marketing advantages.

Next: Tape Carrier Packaging (TCP)

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