Intel Launches 7th-Gen 'Kaby Lake' Core Processors For Laptops and 2-in-1s
Intel has officially introduced its first wave of 7th-generation Core processors, well known by their codename Kaby Lake. Today's launches are CPUs in the U and Y series, which are planned for thin and light portables such as notebooks and 2-in-1s. Processors for mainstream and enthusiast desktop PCs, workstations, beefier laptops, and other kinds will be refreshed early next year.
"These trends in how we consume and create content, in how we communicate and interact, reflect what we at Intel call the immersive internet. And the best way to take advantage of the immersive internet is on a computer with the performance to deliver a lifelike experience. People need the power to view, the power to create and the power to play - something that the PC is uniquely designed to do," said Navin Shenoy, Intel's vice president for client computing group. He said that the new 7th-gen core processors are particularly aimed at helping people enjoy 4K Ultra High-Definition videos, 360-degree clips, and virtual reality.
With new computers run by 7th generation Intel Core processors, TV and movie fans will have access to premium 4K (Ultra HD) content running from big studios such as Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Users will also be capable of viewing 4K content being shared on sites like YouTube, and watch it for longer times on systems powered by Intel's 7th generation Core CPUs. Along with this, gamers will expectedly see a threefold enhancement in graphics as compared to a 5-year-old PC. This means they'll be able to play popular titles like Overwatch anytime and anywhere, even on light laptops .
Intel has combined with multiple OEMs and assumes more than 100 different 2-in-1s and laptops powered by 7th generation Intel Core processors to be accessible starting September.
Kaby Lake is Intel’s third generation of chips to be based on 14nm process, disrupting the company’s normal tick-tock development schedule, now which is defined at “process -> architecture -> optimization,” with Kaby Lake demonstrating the optimization stage.
Intel says Kaby lake chips contain some of the following improvements:
• Up to 12 percent faster “productivity performance” and up to 19 percent faster web performance when compared with 6th-gen “Skylake” chips.
• Native support for 4K HEVC and VP9 video decoding.
"Intel's engineering and manufacturing teams have drawn even more out of our 14nm process technology with what we call 14nm+. 7th Gen Intel Core delivers up to 12 per cent faster productivity performance and up to 19 percent faster web performance over our previous generation from just a year ago," said Shenoy.
Intel said that in the coming weeks there "more than 100 different 2-in-1s and laptops powered by 7th-gen Core (processors) in the market". These machines will use processors like Core i5-7Y54, i7-7Y75, i7-7500U, m3-7Y30 and i5-7200U.
Intel is promising better battery life, better quality gaming performance due to updated integrated graphics chips, and faster video encoding for peoples that want to do multimedia editing without a distinct graphics card.