Like the launched last month, the Core vPro processors are based on Intel's 22nm microarchitecture and, when paired with Intel's Q-series chipsets, offer a 10-20 percent improvement in performance. They also feature better graphics and faster response time, thanks to Intel's Smart Response, Rapid Start and Smart Connect technologies.

However, the Core vPro processors go a step further by embedding security into the silicon, providing hardware-level protection for e-banking, e-commerce, virtual private networks and other secure transactions.

Intel's identity protection technology (IPT) defends against identity theft by using a one-time password and embedded public-key infrastructure from Symantec. This enables businesses, governments or websites to check that a legitimate user is logging in from a trusted PC, and create a non-spoofable path for user input and display output.

The Core vPro processors also enable endpoint security management from McAfee which, together with Intel's Active Management Technology (AMT) 8.0, allows IT professionals to remotely manage PCs that are powered off or disabled, as well as remotely fix compromised PCs and apply security patches.

Intel said that large-scale retailers can save millions of dollars in service calls with the ability to remotely manage systems using AMT, and industrial computing systems can achieve greater efficiencies by consolidating multiple automation functions onto one platform.