Windows 7: Intel to launch new chips for ultrathin laptops

Intel to launch new chips for ultrathin laptops

By Agam Shah
May 7, 2010 03:44 PM ET

IDG News Service - Intel will soon release new low-power processors for a class of thin and light laptops that bridge the gap between netbooks and mainstream laptops, a company spokeswoman confirmed on Friday.

The new processors will be available under Intel's Core i3 and Core i5 brands and will power laptops that are as portable as netbooks but have larger screens and greater functionality. Called ultrathin laptops, these PCs are usually priced between $400 and $800 and provide performance that is adequate to run standard applications and high-definition multimedia.

An Intel road map presented during a webcast on Thursday showed that the chips will be less powerful than the standard-voltage Core i3 and Core i5 laptop processors, which are priced between $133 and $294, according to an Intel price list. However, the new processors will be faster than Intel's Atom chips, which go into netbooks.