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Intel's 14-nm Broadwell CPU Primed For Slim Tablets

Posted by samzenpus on from the check-it-out dept.

crookedvulture writes Intel's next-gen Broadwell processor has entered production, and we now know a lot more about what it entails. The chip is built using 14-nm process technology, enabling it to squeeze into half the power envelope and half the physical footprint of last year's Haswell processors. Even the thickness of the CPU package has been reduced to better fit inside slim tablets. There are new power-saving measures, too, including a duty cycle control mechanism that shuts down sections of the chip during some clock cycles. The onboard GPU has also been upgraded with more functional units and hardware-assisted H.265 decoding for 4K video. Intel expects the initial Broadwell variant, otherwise known as the Core M, to slip into tablets as thin as the iPad Air. We can expect to see the first systems on shelves in time for the holidays.

6 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. Thank GOD by ADRA · · Score: 4, Funny

    Because what I was missing from a tablet was 4K movies!

    --
    Bye!
    1. Re:Thank GOD by Lab+Rat+Jason · · Score: 4, Funny

      Bow down to my 27" tablet!!!

      --
      Which has more power: the hammer, or the anvil?
    2. Re:Thank GOD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It's about future proofing. Plus H.265 applies to all the resolutions, not just 4K. So you might be able to download a 720p video that's 70% to half the current file size.

      I haven't touched Ivy Bridge or Haswell. I want to hold out for Broadwell or Skylake for a nice and even lower power notebook. That or a future AMD offering.

    3. Re:Thank GOD by CastrTroy · · Score: 4, Informative

      You're missing the biggest point. It has hardware h.265 support(not to be confused with h.264) which is a newer compression algorithm that allows for even smaller files while maintaining the same video quality, or better quality when using the same bitrate.

      --

      Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
    4. Re:Thank GOD by VTBlue · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Funny, but actually what it means is that you a sandy bridge class core CPU in an iPad Air form factor that dramatically alters the scenarios for usage. A nice port replicator or docking station will make for a clean and minimalist work area. One more generation and graphics will be pretty capable of mainstream gaming. Even with core M, many games will be playable with medium/low settings.

      Currently I'm looking for an excuse to dump my still capable lenovo t400s

  2. 14 nanometers? by ChipMonk · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Given that the covalent radius of silicon is 111 picometers, that comes to a channel that's 63 silicon atoms across.

    And I thought 65nm (~300 silicon atoms across) was impressive five years ago.