News & Analysis
Slideshow: Intel carves new path to x86 tablets
Rick Merritt
9/27/2012 11:18 PM EDT
Co-opetition with Microsoft, ARM
Newcomers to the x86 world like China's ZTE are quickly finding out that it’s easy to get into the Wintel world, but hard to differentiate yourself. “Microsoft is not as fast-moving or flexible as Google Android, but we hope they are able to grab this opportunity because there is not too much time left,” said Yong Chang, a director of software engineering at ZTE.
ZTE is also planning a WinRT tablet based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon and supporting cellular and Wi-Fi as well as one using Nvidia’s Tegra, initially just supporting Wi-Fi. “It’s a very challenging design ecosystem trying to align with Micosoft, Intel, Nvdiai and Qualcomm,” said Chang.
The Asus tablet is unique in supporting an 11.6-inch LG display.
For Asus, the Win 8 Atom tablets represent a fourth tablet line. It already makes two Android-based tablets, including the Nexus 7. Asus also plans a WinRT line using Nvidia's Tegra.
Product managers shrug their shoulders when asked how various tablets will play in the market. Performance should not be an issue with the WinRT tablets, said Stanley Wang, an Asus product manager who has tried out prototype models.
“We will know in six months or so whether or not consumers will opt for Windows-based tablets based on ARM without some of the legacy capabilities you get with Intel systems—but right now, we just don’t know,” said analyst Brookwood.
"Until pricing is available and performance and battery life are tested by independent reviewers, it will be a tough call, said analyst Moorhead.
As for Clover Trail, also known as Atom Z2760, the 32-nm chip is up upgrade from the single-core Penwell used in Intel’s Medfield smartphone platform. Intel claims 20 tablets as thin as 8.5-mm will ship this year using Atom processors. Other models will use its Core processors to provide greater performance.
In demos, the Clover Trail notebooks performed smoothly on a range of desktop and tablet apps including media playback and multitasking jobs.
Next: Asus tablet and dock
Newcomers to the x86 world like China's ZTE are quickly finding out that it’s easy to get into the Wintel world, but hard to differentiate yourself. “Microsoft is not as fast-moving or flexible as Google Android, but we hope they are able to grab this opportunity because there is not too much time left,” said Yong Chang, a director of software engineering at ZTE.
ZTE is also planning a WinRT tablet based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon and supporting cellular and Wi-Fi as well as one using Nvidia’s Tegra, initially just supporting Wi-Fi. “It’s a very challenging design ecosystem trying to align with Micosoft, Intel, Nvdiai and Qualcomm,” said Chang.
The Asus tablet is unique in supporting an 11.6-inch LG display.
For Asus, the Win 8 Atom tablets represent a fourth tablet line. It already makes two Android-based tablets, including the Nexus 7. Asus also plans a WinRT line using Nvidia's Tegra.
Product managers shrug their shoulders when asked how various tablets will play in the market. Performance should not be an issue with the WinRT tablets, said Stanley Wang, an Asus product manager who has tried out prototype models.
“We will know in six months or so whether or not consumers will opt for Windows-based tablets based on ARM without some of the legacy capabilities you get with Intel systems—but right now, we just don’t know,” said analyst Brookwood.
"Until pricing is available and performance and battery life are tested by independent reviewers, it will be a tough call, said analyst Moorhead.
As for Clover Trail, also known as Atom Z2760, the 32-nm chip is up upgrade from the single-core Penwell used in Intel’s Medfield smartphone platform. Intel claims 20 tablets as thin as 8.5-mm will ship this year using Atom processors. Other models will use its Core processors to provide greater performance.
In demos, the Clover Trail notebooks performed smoothly on a range of desktop and tablet apps including media playback and multitasking jobs.
Next: Asus tablet and dock
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Brutus_II
9/28/2012 12:27 PM EDT
I wonder why this is only finally coming about: Dual core/dual threaded technology taking so long to be produced at this level is because of management decisions, certainly not technological barriers. Both Intel and AMD have missed out, at least until soon, it seems. Perhaps this will cause Apple to re-think the glaring and annoying limitations placed on the otherwise incredible iPad if they want to retain top-dog status in this area. It may be too late. If the quality is there (a very big if), I will run over my iPad and upgrade to a more functional tablet
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xx19xx
9/28/2012 4:26 PM EDT
When asked why competitors had quad-core offerings but Intel did not, Intel CEO Paul Otellini said he doesn't think it matters. "I may have started the core wars when we did our first dual core product, but we learned that wasn't what's important," he said. What matters is processor performance.
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xx19xx
9/28/2012 2:35 PM EDT
@Brutus_II quad core + Intel = hot
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Battar
9/28/2012 4:44 PM EDT
Having used a tablet running Android, I can't wait for Intel/MS to provide a workable alternative.
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rick.merritt
9/28/2012 5:51 PM EDT
I'm not sure I like the Win 8 "Metro" interface, which is one factor here balanced against the fact I do what access to those old Office programs sometimes.
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rd211
9/29/2012 4:42 AM EDT
I think win8 will win the market,so you can inolve in http://www.rd211.com
and get the answer
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agk
9/29/2012 8:05 AM EDT
With this Intel MS product i will feel good and easy to use it.Because i think all the windows will look the same like in the laptop i am using with windows7.
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alkey3
9/30/2012 9:51 AM EDT
Zzzzz.... Unh? Intel Atom? Oh, nevermind. Zzz..
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Daniel Payne
10/1/2012 10:57 AM EDT
I bought my first tablet in March, the new iPad and quickly added the Logitech ultrathin keyboard so that I could do touch typing, so now the tablet can be used like a netbook. I've played with the Windows 8 pre-release but there wasn't enough appeal for me to switch from iOS6, so I think that Microsoft has too-little, delivered too late by 2 years or so. Battery life is paramount in tablets, so for Intel+Others to be successful they have to optimize for 10+ hours per charge in a reference design.
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Stanley_
10/1/2012 11:28 AM EDT
Sorry but die size as large as ~200mm^2 is epic fail at 32nm.. Apple A6 at the same node (called 28nm at foundry) is only 96mm^2.. the cost of the clover trail + MS software will be much higher than ipad or android tablet.. It'll be cheaper than ultrabook or MBA, but way too expensive for tablet, putting the product in awkward market position.
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resistion
10/1/2012 9:08 PM EDT
I can easily see the Intel tablets and ultrabooks eating each other's markets.
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resistion
10/3/2012 12:24 AM EDT
Some reports of Clover Trail hiccup:
http://www.tgdaily.com/mobility-features/66580-more-trouble-for-intels-clover-trail-tablets
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