Intel has just started shipping the new low power fourth generation Core i3 processors, from the Haswell generation. These are units able to draw as little as 4.5 watts of power with specific usage scenarios. The star here is the dual core Core i3-4012Y processor, part of a batch of new Haswell CPUs.
They could be used on fanless tablets and laptop-tablet hybrids, for longer battery lives. The Microsoft Surface Pro runs on the Core processor and it offers good performance, but not so good battery life. Intel has solved that problem through Haswell, promising that these dual core chips will provide up to 50% more battery life compared to the previous Core units, the Ivy Bridge ones.
The problem? The quality of graphics on the new 4.5 watt chip may decrease. The Core i3-4012Y draws only 4.5 watts on specific mobile usage patterns, according to Intel’s measurements. The clock speed is 1.5 GHz, but Intel is also shipping the 1.3 GHz Core i3-4010Y, another version of the new generation. Now we’re expecting Intel Atom Bay Trail T to pop up…
