Intel says Clover Trail boasts a number of key updates to its Atom platform: longer battery life; smaller die packaging (allowing for thinner and lighter devices); hardware acceleration for displaying higher-definition images; and 4G LTE network support. The new chip will be officially unveiled during a special Windows 8-themed event in San Francisco Thursday with numerous major PC manufacturers including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, and ZTE (check back later for PCWorld's event coverage).
What Will Battery Life Be Like Under Clover Trail?
The first big claim Intel is making for the 1.8GHz Atom Z2760 is that it can provide up to 10 hours of battery life for local (non-Web based) high-definition video playback, and up to three weeks of standby time. Intel's previous Atom chips were often criticized for offering poor battery life performance, which is one reason why ARM-based chips have been the preferred choice for mobile device manufacturers.
For Clover Trail, Intel has focused on improving power management, but it's too early to tell just how good it will be in the new platform. Nonetheless, if Intel wants to compete in a mobile market where battery life is critical, it will have to nail down power efficiency to have any chance of relevancy.
Clover Trail's Other Features