14 DAY TRIAL // Present at IFA 2014, chip giant Intel has pulled out of the bag the first chips based on its new Broadwell architecture.
These are low-power Core M processors using just 4.5W power, and even if higher-end chips meant for premium laptops and desktop won’t arrive until 2015, these units will still be able to handle HD video playback, high-resolution display, multi-tasking operations and the like.
In an earlier piece we detailed the first products that are bound to arrive taking advantage of this specific architecture, but maybe you want to know the technical specifications too (well, as Intel tells them ).
According to Chipzilla, the new processors will bump up things in terms of performance with 50% in the CPU department and 40% in the graphics one, compared to 4th-gen Intel Core “Haswell” CPU on a performance-per-watt basis.
Moreover, Intel also mentions that the newcomers are twice as fast as an 18W Core i5 chip dating back to 2010 and deliver 7 times the graphic performance.
Why compare the new chips with something coming from 2010? Well, Intel is considering the average refresh cycle, which for a lot of folks doesn’t happen very often. So, if you’re holding on to an old out-of-date laptop from four years ago, Intel is hoping to convince you that this is the right time to update.
Sure, if you decide to go ahead and listen to the chip giant, you’ll find that the ecosystem has changed a little bit. Notably because device manufacturers taking advantage of the Broadwell platform will be offering 2-in-1 tablet/laptop hybrids, which are expected to be thin, light and taking advantage of fanless designs.
Putting the improved performance status aside, Intel claims that battery life will see an increase, as well. The company says that a device taking advantage of a 35Whr battery and running Broadwell should be able to deliver better battery life than an equivalent product with Haswell inside.
There are three different version of the Core M platform which Intel is going to be offering soon:
- Core M-5Y70 1.1 GHz dual-core CPU with a max turbo speed of 2.6 GHz - Core M-5Y10a 800 MHz dual-core CPU with max turbo speed of 2 GHz - Core M-5Y10 800 MHz dual-core CPU with max turbo speed of 2 GHz
All chips will be working in concert with Intel HD 5300 graphics with a base clock speed of 100MHz. Core M-5Y70 will deliver maximum graphics speeds of up to 850MHz, while the other two go as far as 800MHz. All models come with support for 1600 MHz LPDDR3L memory.
Intel HD 5400 graphics comes with support for DirectX 11.2, OpenGL 4.2, OpenCL 2.0, and video playback for up to 3840 x 2160. Don’t get too excited, it doesn’t mean we’ll be able to see 4K tablets and laptops with Core M chips yet, but one can link an external display with Ultra HD screen.
