Hardware specification

Hardware details for OLPC, 18 Dec. 2005 V. Michael Bove, Jr., updated by Jim Gettys.

At this point it seems likely that there will be three generations of machines: a first one to ship in late 2006, a second production run sometime in 2007 that will incorporate a newer AMD chip and possibly a newer wireless chip, and an E-Ink (or other low-power, bistable display technology) based machine to ship when this new display technology is available at an appropriate price point.

Details of the first generation are firming up as of the date of this document:


 * Processor: AMD Geode GX500@1.0W with AMD CS5536 companion chip (note that the "500" chip really operates at a 366MHz clock)
 * Memory: 128MB DRAM, possibly DDR Mobile
 * Nonvolatile storage: 512MB (possibly 1GB) NAND flash memory
 * BIOS/loader: hardware details TBD; either conventional, or maybe LinuxBIOS, if available.
 * Audio: AC97 codec (chip TBD), built-in stereo speakers and mono microphone, jacks for external stereo speakers and microphones
 * External ports: four USB2.0, one supporting On-The-Go functionality
 * Display: dual-mode, based on a 7.2" diagonal 800x600 monochrome TFT panel
 * Monochrome (high-res, low-power "E-Book") mode: 800x600, reflective (ambient light)
 * Color mode: 462x346, quincunx-sampled, LED-backlit
 * Input devices: keyboard, trackpad (supporting pointing, scrolling, and possibly graphical input), additional buttons adjacent to screen for use in E-Book/tablet mode
 * Wireless: Atheros AR5004G or AR5004GS chip, 802.11b/g
 * Power: 100-240VAC, 12VDC, also integrated crank charger based on a permanent-magnet generator and 100:1 gear train. Battery details TBD.

Second-generation unit will use a more power-efficient integrated Geode-based AMD chip (instead of the GX500/5536 set) and probably the Atheros AR6001G or similar wireless chip. Feedback window on design of the next AMD chip will close in March 2006, so it's important to maintain dialogue with AMD regarding Gen 2.