Intel to give chips energy efficiency boost

From the New Mexico Business Journal - by Dan Mayfield - Intel Corp. is cranking up its efforts to get its newest chips into the next wave of mobile computers. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that the next line of Intel chips will be much more energy-efficient. The company is expected to release details about the new chips at a developers’ conference next week in San Francisco. Intel employs 3,500 at its Rio Rancho chipmaking plant. The next wave of laptops, ultrabooks, smartphones and handheld computers is the fastest-growing segment of the consumer PC market, but Intel’s chips have been passed over by many companies. Some have turned to chips by AMD or others, which use a different architecture. Samsung makes chips for Apple Inc. But the report that Intel’s chips will be 41 percent more efficient, with power dropping from 17 to 10 watts per chip, means developers would be able to use its chips in smaller, lighter devices with a longer battery life. The chips will also be faster, especially for graphics-intensive tasks, the WSJ reported. Read more

Intel to give chips energy efficiency boost