ThruIT

Intel sure has been busy these last few months, releasing desktop i5 and i7 processors a few months back and a the new “Pine Trail” netbook platform. Now they’ve dropped new CPU’s onto the market with the i3 CPU and more in the i5 line of processors. All of these processors use Intel’s new 32nm chip die, allowing for lower power requirements and less heat (important for the all-critical mobile market). All of these processors include built in graphics capability, which is attractive to the low-end market and even potentially htpc builders (time will tell and we’ll see how the chip stacks up in terms of crunching 1080p video).

Here’s how they stack up:

from techtree.com

In terms of sockets, LGA-1366 will remain for high end i7 processors only. LGA-1156 will be used for i5 and i3CPUs and some lower-end i7. For further clarity, the LGA-1156 Core i7s will be the 8xx series and the LGA-1366 i7s will be the 9xx series. The i5s will be the 6xx series and the i3s will be the 5xx series. This brings into question the future of the LGA1366 socket, as now a very limited segment of the market uses this socket (and actually needs to minor speed bump that goes with it’s high sticker price).

Be prepared for a new wave of notebooks using these processors, we can expect to see them pushing power requirements and battery life to heights we haven’t seen from true notebooks.