New Intel Chips Conserve Power, Offer Crisper Hi-Def Video Playback

Intel has gained the upper hand once again in its continuing battle with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) by launching a new line of chips specifically designed for laptop computers. Intel promises that its new batch of chips will have better graphics-enabling abilities and a longer battery life.

Manufacturing chips that require less power and offer crisper high-definition video playback has proved to be a difficult balancing act for most processing companies in the past, especially since many new notebook computers are being released in smaller models.

The new chips will be packaged as part of Intel's new Centrino 2 platform; a bundle that includes a processor, a related chipset and a new wireless communication chip. Intel has stated that those computers fitted with the new Centrino 2 bundle will have enough power to play a complete Blu-ray DVD movie on a single battery charge. The chip company also hopes that the advancements made in these new chips will significantly improve the wireless connectivity of all notebook computers in the future. (Source: theglobeandmail.com)

But what about desktop PC's?

Analysts believe that the revenue generated from the sale of laptop computers will far surpass those of desktop computers by early next year. Intel has now shifted their focus to bringing more power to mobile computing while conserving as much battery power as possible, given the size of the computer model the chips will be working with.

Initial efforts are proving to be highly successful for Intel. Of the five new processors the company plans to roll out, three of them function using only 25 watts of energy. While this may seem like only a small reduction (considering the previous processors used 30 watts of energy) the ability to conserve power at any level is a step in the right direction. (Source: globetechnology.com)

Intel also plans to introduce a new long-range wireless technology called WiMax in the very near future. The current plan is to introduce WiMax into the Centrino 2 bundle later this year. As it stands, the release of the Centrino 2 will follow Intel's launch of the Atom; a chip designed specifically for smart phones and other mobile Internet devices.

With two new chipsets set for a mid-to-late 2008 debut, Intel is confident that their recent efforts will keep them ahead of the processing pack for quite some time.