Intel Atom x5 and x7
The burgeoning growth in the smartphone segment is one thing, but mobile computing has also witnessed another revolution that has been changing the way how we connect to work and personal data on the go. Sure, tablets are a big part of this, but also notable is the emergence of newer form factors which include hybrids and 2-in-1 laptops that defy convention. These new devices have enabled a new breed of road warriors. These are people looking at ultimate flexibility in choosing the form factor they need for their specific needs. Different form factors are suitable for different environments such as the road, office and home, and the same goes for different use cases, presenting a new idea or product to a client, enjoying a movie on a flight, editing a work document at the airport, brainstorming over a new project at the office… you get the picture. There’s nothing new here, except that many new hybrids and 2-in-1s available these days allow you to tackle multiple scenarios with a single gadget. And to power such devices, you need processors that are not only powerful, but also frugal in terms of battery consumption, along with enabling other features such as connectivity. And this is exactly where the new Intel Atom x5 and x7 processors come in.
With the Atom x3, Intel is aiming at the VFM smartphone market, but the x5 and x7 are intended for tablets and 2-in-1 laptops. To get into some technical details, the x5 and x7 line of processors are all quad-core chips, and include support for 64-bit computing. These are Intel’s first CPUs to use the 14nm fabrication process, and utilise high-end Gen 8 graphics that promise significantly better performance over the previous generation. The x5 range includes the Atom x5-8300 and x5-8500 CPUs which can be clocked up to 1.84GHz and 2.24GHz respectively, while the top-of-the-line x7 portfolio has the x7-8700 to its name, going up to 2.4GHz. The Atom x5 and x7 SoCs don’t come with integrated data solutions, but will be paired with Intel’s LTE MM276x modem which supports Cat-6 speeds.
