Intel currently offers ultra-low-voltage processors for fully functional thin and light laptops, such as Apple's expensive MacBook Air and Lenovo's ThinkPad X300. These chips fit into small spaces and draw less power than conventional laptop chips. The chips are about the size of a dime, or 60 percent smaller than mainstream laptop chips.

Laptops with the new chips should boost the speed of applications while drawing the same power as with the earlier chips. The chips will run at clock speeds of up to 1.6GHz, a speed bump from earlier chips that ran at up to 1.40GHz. Depending on the applications, existing ultraportable laptops with ULV chips run from anywhere between four to seven hours.

"There should be no difference to battery life with these speed bumps," said a source familiar with Intel's plans.

The chips will be available on Monday, according to the source. They will be a part of Intel's Montevina mobile platform, which bundles mobile laptop chips and wireless capabilities into laptops.

The refresh comes ahead of Intel's planned release of new ultra-low-voltage processors for inexpensive laptops, which are due in the second quarter as part of the updated Montevina Plus platform.