Intel Haswell CPUs promise 20x power saving

 

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By Darien Graham-Smith in San Francisco

Posted on 13 Sep 2011 at 18:35

Intel has unveiled Haswell, its next-generation processor architecture, promising a 20x power saving.

Intel CEO Paul Otellini, speaking at the opening keynote of the 2011 Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, revealed the first details of the manufacturer's next-generation processor architecture, expected to debut in 2013.

Though little technical information was given, Otellini confirmed that engineering designs for Haswell are already complete, and promised that the architecture would deliver a 30% reduction in processor power consumption, compared to current Sandy Bridge processors.

Working with our partners at Microsoft, Windows 8 on Intel will transform the personal computing experience, not only on Ultrabooks but tablets

What’s more, thanks to a new power management framework that extends beyond the processor itself, he promised a twenty-fold reduction in overall platform power consumption. Otellini predicted that this would permit ten days of idle, but connected usage, on a single charge, potentially making Haswell a turning point for Intel on smartphones and tablets.

“The implications are huge, and the timing couldn’t be better,” he announced, referring to the simultaneous Windows 8 announcements being made by Microsoft 385 miles down the California coast.

“Working with our partners at Microsoft, Windows 8 on Intel will transform the personal computing experience, not only on Ultrabooks but tablets,” he said.

Before Haswell emerges though, Intel will first launch Ivy Bridge, the successor to Sandy Bridge based on 22nm process technology. The company also announced new developments and partnerships relating to its current Atom-based mobile platform. Check back for more news from IDF over the coming days.