Intel Arms Tablet Makers with Atom Z2760 'Clover Trail' Chip
In what's being described as "just the beginning of Intel's effort in the tablet market," the world's largest chip maker unveiled its Atom Z2760 processor (codenamed Clover Trail) for Windows 8 tablets. According to Intel, the spunky Atom chip allows for the thinnest, lightest tablets built on the company's architecture -- as thin as 8.5 mm and 1.5 pounds -- and lends itself to long lasting battery life, enough to watch 10 hours of local HD video.
The Atom Z2760 SoC (System on Chip) is built on a 32nm manufacturing process and features an Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX545 graphics core. It's a dual-core part with four threads via Hyper Threading and a 1.8GHz clockspeed, or higher using Intel's Burst technology. The GPU is clocked at 533MHz.
A number of OEM partners are on board with the new chip and will implement it into upcoming Windows 8 tablets. They include Acer, Asus, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo, LG Electronics, Samsung, and ZTE, all of which said they plan to offer full featured tablets built around the Atom part.
"This is just the beginning of Intel's effort in the tablet market, and our goal is to deliver products that fit the spectrum of evolving needs of both consumers and business users without compromising on compatibility, experience or battery life," said Erik Reid, general manager, Application Processor Platforms for Intel's Mobile and Communications Group. "When people or corporations buy a device with Intel Inside, they're getting the best of Windows 8 features with a computing experience that just works."
<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uYLZ5D7NLhY" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0">></iframe>
What Intel has really done is set the stage for a showdown with ARM-based tablets, which will run Windows RT. Expect them all to make their debut when Windows 8 launches in late October.
Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook
Comment