Thin and light done right, with Intel's newest tablet design and Core M processors

Intel has always pushed mobile processors as a more flexible option for the more static desktop based chips. We’ve seen Pentium M, Celeron M, Centrino and Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) CPUs appear in a plethora of mostly mobile devices that, over the years, have provided comparable power to that of their desktop versions.

Now, Intel is planning to introduce a new variant of the Core line, the Core M. This new processor moniker will be a 14nm design based on the Broadwell architecture, providing energy efficiency and passive cooling for thin and light devices. With that in mind, Intel also unveiled its very own tablet reference design, based on the Core M processor.

The design details the device as having a 12.5” display, being 0.28” thick and weighing less than 1.5 lbs. To put this into perspective, we’ve drawn up a quick comparison table of devices that this design could be compared to.

Obviously, the iPad Air wins hands down for weight, but Intel’s design is shown to be the thinnest device of the four we’ve compared. It"s also likely that any additional hardware bundled in with the reference design (more storage, RAM, cellular modem, etc) will likely add weight.

Intel has said that the device will be a 2-in-1, meaning that there will be a keyboard dock available if you wish to use it as a laptop. This will add to the final weight and thickness of the device mind you. An additional media dock will be available, boosting performance and adding cooling.

It’s not clear whether this device will be pushed more towards Windows or Android - although from the coverage, it’s a Windows based device - but with Intel chips supported by both Microsoft and Google, you can’t rule out this tablet design and spec running Android in the near future.

Source: Intel | Via Liliputing |Images courtesy of Intel, Engadget and Ultrabooknews