Intel’s new Braswell processor to replace the Bay Trail chip

Among the various news items emanating from the Intel Developer Forum in Shenzhen, China this week comes the company’s latest system-on-a-chip being developed for entry-level computing devices. Dubbed Braswell, it will replace Bay Trail, though that platform still has life in it. While Bay Trail is built on the 22nm manufacturing process, Braswell, like its more powerful Broadwell sibling, will have a 14nm architecture.

Intel’s new processor — code-named Braswell — will be built into a series of entry-level, low-cost computers later this year, the company announced Thursday. Braswell (14 nanometers) will succeed Intel’s existing 22-nanometer Bay Trail chip. A nanometer is billionth the size of a meter. According to PCWorld, Braswell will be used in entry-level desktops, notebooks and convertible computer, and more specifically, the chip will make its way to a series of PC computers and about 20 Chromebook designs. “Last year, we had only four designs on Chrome. Today I can announce that we will have over 20 designs on Chrome,” said Kirk Skaugen, general manager of Intel’s PC Client group.