The world’s largest chipmaker has been busy playing catch-up in the mobile space, and now its newest offerings for tablets could start to change the game for business. Tablets powered by chipsets based on Intel’s x86 architecture are emerging as serious competitors to both the iPad and to Android and Windows tablets that use ARM-based chipsets.
Microsoft’s Surface Pro is set to go on sale this Saturday (but has already made an appearance in some Microsoft stores.) The software giant miffed its longtime chip partner when it released the ARM-based version of the tablet (Surface RT) earlier than the Intel-based model, but that may all be forgotten as the Surface Pro glides onto the market. Early reviews are positive, suggesting that Intel’s 22nm Ivy Bridge architecture is more than ready to handle hours of video on the 10.6-inch tablet’s 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. While business buyers may be more interested in the fact that the Surface Pro will run Windows apps, they know their employees will be much more likely to use a product that doubles as an iPad-substitute during personal time.
Meanhile Intel’s Atom Z2760 processor is showing superior performance to some ARM-based chipsets, particularly when it comes to power consumption during video processing. The Z2760 powers a clutch of Windows 8 tablets that will be competing with the Surface Pro, including the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2, the Asus Vivo VivoTab Smart, the Acer Iconia W510.
RCR Wireless caught up with Intel at CES 2013 recently for a demo of the Acer tablet running the Atom processor.
