Intel’s next-generation chip family, the Core M, will arrive in the real world starting next month as Acer, Asus, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo and Toshiba start shipping portable devices built around the power-efficient processor. Kirk Skaugen, general manager of Intel’s personal computing division, announced the imminent arrival of the new designs during a speech Friday at the the IFA electronics show in Berlin. The premium chip, which consumes a dramatically low 4.5 watts, less than even new power-efficient light bulbs, is geared for a newer class of hybrid computing devices that can act either like tablets or PCs.
Intel’s new fifth-generation Core processors, which are built on a new architecture known as Broadwell, are now on their way to PC builders for a planned release later this year. Meanwhile, the company is using IFA 2014 as an opportunity to highlight its continuing focus on efficient mobile computers like Ultrabooks, convertibles, and all-in-ones. Intel’s new Core M processors, which the company detailed today, will consume less than five watts of power. The efficiency gains enjoyed by the new Broadwell-based chips are impressive, to say the least, and come courtesy of a transition from the “old” 22nm production process, to cutting-edge 14nm. As has usually been the case, this latest switch promises a substantial increase in power efficiency. Four years ago, the most conservative Intel Core Mobile processor needed around 18 watts of power to work, but the new Core M chips average about 4.5 watts. That’s four times less power consumption. The size of the hardware has decreased significantly too. The new Core M parts measure 30 x 16.5 x 1.05 millimeters thick. By comparison, fourth-generation Intel Core chips measure 40 x 24 x 1.5 millimeters.
