Netbooks could be about to get a whole lot faster again with SlashGear reporting that Intel is planning to launch a new addition to the Intel Atom Z5xx processor series.

The Intel Atom Z550 would run at 2.0GHz, making it easily the fastest Atom CPU to date, and would also offer the same 2.4W TDP power, 512KB L2 cache and 533MHz FSB.

The current fastest Atom processor is the Z540 at 1.86GHz so the impending arrival of the Z550 will boost things. It isn’t confirmed yet if it will be used on netbooks but there is a fair chance it could be.

This is one of several new processors planned by Intel with two new Core i7 CPUs expected shortly pushing clock speed for the range up to 3.33GHz.