Smaller, faster, cooler, more efficient: The 2007 mobile CPU road map

AMD is pitting an innovative new CPU design against Intel's new Centrino platform and 45nm fabrication process. The mobile chip wars are hotter than ever.

February 06, 2007 (Computerworld) -- Ask anyone to name their No. 1 laptop grievance and you'll repeatedly hear two words: "battery power." In an era when seemingly everyone is switching from desktops to laptops, the inability to compute for more than four or five straight hours without being plugged in feels outdated.

Thankfully, it appears that market leaders Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) understand this shortcoming and are moving to address it. Both last year and this year, the all-important notion of performance-per-watt has dominated the spotlight. Greater performance-per-watt results in cooler inside temperatures and increased power efficiencies. For laptops, both of these elements are critical, and addressing them usually translates into longer battery life.

Typically, laptop processor speeds have increased at the cost of battery life. However, with last year's release of its mobile Core 2 Duo processors, Intel made great strides in increasing performance while decreasing power consumption. But can the chip giant keep it up?

Considering how important the mobile computing category is to overall profits, it's clear that AMD will have to deliver some substantially better products to make a dent in Intel's dominance. Can AMD deliver?

Keep reading for details -- including a surprising and novel approach to CPU design by AMD.

Editor's Note: Looking for information on desktop, rather than mobile, CPUs? See "Beyond Dual Core: 2007 Desktop CPU Road Map."

Beyond Dual Core: 2007 Desktop CPU Road Map

January 01, 2007 (Computerworld) -- What a difference a year makes. One year ago, we were dazed, dazzled and beguiled by the arrival of dual-core processors. Offerings from Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. had analysts, journalists, IT professionals and enthusiasts all gushing with praise for a bright new multitasking future.

Amazingly, both Intel and AMD were able to deliver on the potential of dual-core processing. Throughout 2006, desktop PCs played host to a series of processors that, while slower at the clock-speed level, were faster in real-life usage, allowing for unprecedented amounts of multitasking. (For more about both companies' current lineups of desktop CPUs, see our CPU Buyer's Guide.)

As the calendar flips to 2007, we are firmly entrenched in the world of multicore processors. And based upon the confidential road maps of both Intel and AMD, it is clear that dual-core CPUs are only the launching point for the future of the microprocessor. In 2007, quad cores and even eight-core CPUs will be available. By 2009, there's a good chance that sixteen-core processors will be on the market.

As we enter 2007, five key questions regarding the pending year's CPU battle are on our minds:

1. Will AMD be able to continue its dominance in the U.S. desktop market?
2. How will Intel capitalize upon the success of Core 2?
3. Will AMD be able to match the success of Intel's Core 2 processors?
4. When will the market see true quad-core and even eight-core processors?
5. What surprises do the chip makers have up their sleeves?

With all this in mind, we're taking an extended look at the processors and processor trends you can expect to see in 2007. Not surprisingly, neither AMD nor Intel was willing to divulge many specifics regarding their CPU releases for the coming year. So we scoured the Net, pored over statements from both companies and dug into reports from the host of analysts and experts who cover them.

It's worth noting that much of the information in this road map is preliminary and code-name-level information. As such, the specifics of the processors could change in coming months.

All secrets are revealed within.