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Intel Unveils Fanless PC Reference Design Based on Upcoming Broadwell Chips

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Intel today showed off a new reference PC design built around the company's upcoming Broadwell Core M processor. The Core M is based on a 14 nm process and will the first Broadwell chip to be made available to manufacturers, who are expected to debut the chip in retail products by the end of this year.

With Intel experiencing difficulties and delays with the development of Broadwell, the current Haswell generation has been stretched out somewhat with only modest "Haswell refresh" bumps taking place in recent months to tide users over until Broadwell. With improved performance and efficiency, Broadwell is seen as a significant opportunity for innovation in personal computers.

intel_broadwell_y_reference_hybrid.jpg
Intel's reference design for hybrid tablet-notebook running on Broadwell​
At Computex, Intel president Renee James showcased the first Core M device -- a 12.5-inch tablet-notebook hybrid that is thinner than the iPad Air, has a fanless design, and provides energy-efficient performance for mobile users.
The innovative design is based on the first of Intel's next-generation 14nm Broadwell processors that are purpose-built for 2 in 1s and will be in market later this year. Called the Intel Core M processor, it will deliver the most energy-efficient Intel Core processor in the company's history. The majority of designs based on this new chip are expected to be fanless and deliver both a lightning-fast tablet and a razor-thin laptop.
Click to expand...
Apple has been rumored to planning to release a fanless Retina MacBook Air later this year, but it is unclear exactly what technology Apple will use to achieve that design. The Core M processor being shown by Intel today is part of the Broadwell-Y series that runs at just a handful of watts, while the MacBook Air currently includes Haswell-U series chips running in the 15-watt range. Broadwell-U chips are expected, although perhaps not in significant quantities until early 2015.

Article Link: Intel Unveils Fanless PC Reference Design Based on Upcoming Broadwell Chips
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/06/03/intel-broadwell-reference/
KingofGotham1

KingofGotham1

macrumors regular
Sep 12, 2012
106
151
I would be very interested in a Macbook Air with fan-less design, with a slimmer profile and longer battery life!
 
Tankmaze

Tankmaze

macrumors 68000
Mar 7, 2012
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I would love a fan less design without comprimising performance,
Hopefully intel can deliver.
 
Yvan256

Yvan256

macrumors 603
Jul 5, 2004
5,081
998
Canada
Mac mini 2014?

Intel Core M processor, 20nm nVidia Maxwell GPU, PCIe SSD.

This has the potential to be both very powerful in terms of CPU and GPU and yet still be incredibly small and cool.

But since Apple is more about looks than functionality, they won't put a GPU inside the mini and use the built-in "Intel HD" GPU instead. Hopefully they will lower the price by 200$. Imagine a Mac nano for 399$!

edit: I'm looking at my Mac mini 2010 right now, with an external WD 2.5" drive on top of it, and I can imagine a Mac nano being the same size as that external drive.
 
firedept

firedept

macrumors 603
Jul 8, 2011
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It is mind boggling how fast technology changes. It is almost every day something new comes about. It is great, but expensive to try and keep up with it.
 
5

5232152

Cancelled
May 21, 2014
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Now we just need Apple to figure out how to shell the hardware properly in the casing, so we don't get laptops that gets hot enough to boil an egg.
 
JoEw

JoEw

macrumors 68000
Nov 29, 2009
1,583
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5232152 said:
Now we just need Apple to figure out how to shell the hardware properly in the casing, so we don't get laptops that gets hot enough to boil an egg.
Click to expand...

That is a problem with all technology sir:rolleyes:
 
Keane16

Keane16

macrumors 6502a
Dec 8, 2007
810
671
Thinner than an iPad Air. Damn, tech is progressing at a ridiculous rate.

Would like a peak to see what's been cooking in Ive's labs using these processors - a new MBA would be very, very slick with this inside. (And I still think the current one is great).
 
mtneer

mtneer

macrumors 68040
Sep 15, 2012
3,179
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This might be Intel panicking and responding to the rumors of Apple moving Mac's to ARM. This is still vaporware at this time, no actual product exists... Microsoft Courier anyone?

Intel has to deliver actual Broadwell's and then we can talk about what looks good and what does not.
 
M

melendezest

Suspended
Jan 28, 2010
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Yvan256 said:
Intel Core M processor, 20nm nVidia Maxwell GPU, PCIe SSD.

This has the potential to be both very powerful in terms of CPU and GPU and yet still be incredibly small and cool.

But since Apple is more about looks than functionality, they won't put a GPU inside the mini and use the built-in "Intel HD" GPU instead. Hopefully they will lower the price by 200$. Imagine a Mac nano for 399$!

edit: I'm looking at my Mac mini 2010 right now, with an external WD 2.5" drive on top of it, and I can imagine a Mac nano being the same size as that external drive.
Click to expand...

That'd be nice, but...

Man, I'll die waiting for the xMac (iMac with no screen).

Why Apple?

WHY?

WHY ARE YOU DENYING US THIS????

And I don't want to hear anything about the whole "focus" BS. Apple has more money than God already. They can throw us (non-appliance fans) a bone here. :p
 
cmChimera

cmChimera

macrumors 601
Feb 12, 2010
4,273
3,762
melendezest said:
That'd be nice, but...

Man, I'll die waiting for the xMac (iMac with no screen).

Why Apple?

WHY?

WHY ARE YOU DENYING US THIS????

And I don't want to hear anything about the whole "focus" BS. Apple has more money than God already. They can throw us (non-appliance fans) a bone here. :p
Click to expand...
Mac Mini.
 
mazz0

mazz0

macrumors 68040
Mar 23, 2011
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What exactly is a handful of watts, and how does that compare to 15? What an utterly useless comparison.
 
W

wizard

macrumors 68040
May 29, 2003
3,854
571
melendezest said:
That'd be nice, but...

Man, I'll die waiting for the xMac (iMac with no screen).

Why Apple?
Click to expand...
How about a Mac Pro lite? That is desktop hardware inside a tower similar to the Mac Pro.
WHY?

WHY ARE YOU DENYING US THIS????
Click to expand...
A question I've been asking for years.
And I don't want to hear anything about the whole "focus" BS. Apple has more money than God already. They can throw us (non-appliance fans) a bone here. :p
Click to expand...
Eventually technology will get to the place where the Mini platform could house a pretty good desktop PC. We aren't far from that now. My fear though is that Apple will take this move to 14NM and try to make an even smaller fan less machine instead of giving us a maximal performance Mac Mini. In other words just about the time the right technology debuts for a decent Mini, Apple will cancel the machine to make a smaller machine.

----------
cmChimera said:
Mac Mini.
Click to expand...

Not today's Mini!!

Given that the coming technology has the potential to really enhance the machine. That is if Apple actually leverages 14nm to seriously up the Mini's performance. Right now we need a substantially better GPU in the machine and more cores. Broadwell has the potential here, especially if Apple sticks with chips in the 35 watt range.
 
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