Intel is paving the way for the production of the thinnest, fanless ultra-mobile devices with the launch of the new Intel Core M processor. Revealed at the IFA 2014 in Berlin, the processor will power new 2-in-1 devices from a variety of manufacturers including: Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and Toshiba.
Intel’s new processor was purpose-built to enable the production of the thinnest, fanless ultra-mobile devices. The Intel Core M processor can power razor-thin devices with Intel Core level performance and deliver up to double the battery life when compared to a four-year old system.
“We’ve been on a multi-year mission to address end-user requirements and transform mobile computing. The introduction of Core M marks a significant milestone in that journey,” said Kirk Skaugen, senior vice president and general manager of personal computing at Intel Corporation. “Core M is the first of a new product family designed to deliver the promise of one of the world’s thinnest laptops and highest performance tablets in a single 2 in 1 device.”
Longer battery life
The Intel Core M enables up to 50 percent faster compute performance and 40 percent faster graphics performance versus the comparable, previous 4th generation Core processor.
Consumers with older PCs will notice a more significant performance improvement. Intel Core M delivers up to two times the compute performance and up to seven times better graphics compared to a four year old PC, for example.
In 2013, Intel delivered the biggest generation over generation battery life improvement in the company’s history. Intel Core M processor and platform power reductions raise the bar on battery life even higher.
The Intel Core M processor can handle more than eight hours of video play; which is up to 20 percent (1.7 hours) longer battery life versus the previous generation Intel Core processor and double the battery life of the average four-year-old PC.
The Intel Core M processor package is 50 percent smaller and, at 4.5 watts, has sixty percent lower thermal power than the previous generation. This lets OEMs design sleek, fanless systems less than 9mm thin – thinner than an AAA battery and today’s sleekest laptops.
There are already more than twenty Intel Core M processor-based OEM products in the development pipeline. The first systems based on the Intel Core M processor will be on shelves for the holiday selling season.
In Q4, Acer will expand its popular 2-in-1 series of notebooks with the Aspire Switch 12, featuring a 12.5” FHD display with unique kickstand and magnet keyboard to move smoothly between 5 modes.
ASUS introduced the ASUS Zenbook UX305, an incredibly light and thin Ultrabook with a 13” QHD display and the ASUS Transformer Book T300FA 2 in 1, which was unveiled during the Intel keynote. The Transformer Book T300FA is a high-performance 2 in 1; expected to be on sale in Europe this fall for an estimated €599. Looking ahead, ASUS plans to go even thinner with the ASUS Transformer T300 Chi.
Dell has announced its first commercial 2 in 1, the Latitude 13 7000 Series., which combines a lightweight business Ultrabook and a detachable tablet in one powerful, no-compromise device.
HP further extends its ENVY portfolio with the addition of two new HP ENVY x2 detachable PCs, available in 13.3-inch and 15.6-inch form factors.
The new Lenovo ThinkPad Helix, available in October, is 12 percent lighter and measures 15 percent thinner than its predecessor while packing even more power thanks to the IntelCore M processor.
Intel also previewed a forthcoming Intel Core M processor-based design from Toshiba, and said broader availability of Intel Core M processor-based devices is expected in the first half of 2015.
To further system choice and availability, Intel said it is working with ODMs including Wistron and others. Wistron plans an Intel Core M processor-based design inspired by the Intel “Llama Mountain” reference device. Intel first unveiled the fanless Llama Mountain reference device, which measures 7.2mm thin and weighs a mere 670 grams, at Computex in Taiwan earlier this year.
The Intel Core M processor is available in several versions: the up to 2.0GHz Intel Core M-5Y10/5Y10a processors and the up to 2.6GHz Intel Core M-5Y70 processor. The Core M-5Y70 is the highest performing Core M processor and is also available with Intel vPro technology for business 2 in 1s with built-in security features to help protect data, user identities and network access.
Additional Intel Core M platform features include support for high-quality audio, Intel Wireless Display 5.0, Intel’s second generation 802.11ac products and will evolve to support wireless docking with WiGig from Intel.
