Intel Core M to power faster, slimmer 2-in-1 devices

Come October 2014 and you could witness 2-in-1 PCs returning to life. What’s more, you could be also see a new wave of gadgets including tablets and smartphones that are not only slimmer but much faster. All this is thanks to a new Core M processor series that Intel announced at the ongoing IFA technology show in Berlin.

We have already seen laptop sales dwindle in favour of 2-in-1 devices but they heat up fast, and are still heavy and noisy. Battery life too has been another area of concern.

But all that might change with the introduction of Core M. According to Intel, the Core M uses a 14nm manufacturing process and offers almost 50 per cent more CPU performance as well as 40 per cent  faster graphics performance and four hours of additional battery life compared to an older laptop running last year’s Core i5.

“We’ve been on a multi-year mission to address end-user requirements and transform mobile computing… The introduction of Core M marks a significant milestone in that journey. Core M is the first of a new product family designed to deliver the promise of one of the world's thinnest laptops and highest performance tablets in a single 2-in-1 device,” said Kirk Skaugen, senior vice-president and general manager of personal computing at Intel Corporation.

According to Intel several major OEM’s plan to release their new line of 2-in-1 devices powered by Core M starting October.

Here’s a detailed list:

At IFA, manufacturers including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo unveiled new, coming-soon Intel Core M processor-based devices across a range of sizes, styles and price points.

In Q4, Acer will expand its 2-in-1 series of notebooks with the Aspire Switch 12, featuring a 12.5-inch FHD display with kickstand and magnet keyboard.

Asus introduced the Zenbook UX 305, a light and thin Ultrabook with a 13-inch QHD display and the Asus Transformer Book T300FA 2-in-1 at an estimated €599. ASUS also plans to come out with a much thinner Asus Transformer T300 Chi later this year.

Dell has announced its first commercial 2-in-1, the Lattitude 13 7000 Series – a lightweight business Ultrabook with a detachable tablet-like device.

HP further extends its Envy portfolio with the addition of two new HP Envy x2 detachable PCs, available in 13.3-inch and 15.6-inch form factors.

The new Lenovo ThinkPad Helix, to be available in October, is 12 per cent lighter and 15 per cent thinner than its predecessor.