Intel's senior vice president and GM of personal computing, Kirk Skaugen, has launched its next generation of processors, coined the Core M.
The new processor range will focus on three mobile segments (convertibles, ultra portables, tablets), delivering what Intel says, is the most energy-efficient processor in the company's history at 4.5W (based on SPEC CPU2006 intel estimates for performance and core power.
Interestingly, most of the demonstrations during the keynote were referring to laptop, convertibles and tablets with keyboards, with few tablets on their own.
The Core M uses a 14nm manufacturing process and offers 50% more CPU performance as well as 40% faster graphics performance compared to last year's Core i5-4302Y.
Other advantages include significantly lower power consumption and consequently power dissipation; that translates into a fanless design - which reduces the size and weight of the devices and improves reliability - as well as much better battery life.
Setting the laptop free at last
The Core M platform will also include support for high-quality audio, Wi-Di 5.0, second generation 802.11ac with wireless docking WiGiG coming in the (near) future.
Intel expects manufacturers to come out with tablet products less than 9mm thin; that about the thickness of the Apple iPad 2. More than 20 OEM products based on the Core M processor are expected to hit the shelves just in time for Christmas.
One of the highlights of the keynote was the Llama Mountain reference device that is a 7.2mm tablet that's only 670 grams, thanks to a motherboard package half the size.
Three SKUs will be available at launch: The Intel Core M-5Y10, the 5Y10a, both clocked at up to 2GHz and the M-5Y70, clocked at up to 2.6GHz; the latter also supports vPro, making it a good fit for business users.
Intel also announced that it will provide with a $280 (about £180, AU$300) software bundle for SMEs called Small Business Program Partners Software Bundle for selected products.
