We already know Intel is not changing its architecture, sticking with the Kaby Lake construct, for its next-generation processors. However, the company says it will be improving performance significantly. Indeed, the silicon giant says internal testing has yielded a 40-percent increase in performance compared to the 7th gen.
Of course, translating testing performance to the real world is a minefield. Although, one would expect the in-house improvements to translate to the market in some tangible and measurable way. In other words, Intel will probably deliver its promise of significantly better performance, even it is not 40-percent.
For some average users, they will not be coming from the 7th generation Kaby Lake. Many customers will have simply skipped a generation and could be entering the 8th generation of Intel Core chips from machines up to five years old. In this case, Intel says performance of the new chips will be double.
The performance boosts are necessary. 8th generation Core chips will coincide with laptop OEMs pushing their own technology to a new level. For example, 4K is becoming increasingly prominent, while virtual, mixed, and augmented reality will take off.
At the same time, manufacturers are making the devices smaller, lighter, and sleeker. Intel has designed the upcoming i5 and i7 to match the hardware requirements. On top, they will also need to be able to deliver solid battery life. How long a device will run for is a major deciding factor for many customers.
The company believes it is on to a winner in this department. Intel claims the testing shows the 8th gen will manage 10 hours of 4K video playback.
Announcement
Intel will take the wrappers off its silicon during a Facebook Live presentation today. We don’t expect the company to go in to huge detail. Equally, we doubt this is the full official reveal, but is should provide us with valuable information about the upcoming chips.
Indeed, the new i5 and i7 processors will be widely available during September. So, not long to wait to see if Intel’s tests relate to real-world performance.
