Intel Announces 5th Generation Broadwell Chips Set for Release in 2014

Intel has announced that it will be releasing its 5th generation of core processor chips that have been given the codename Broadwell. The chips are expected to show up in desktops during the second half of 2014. The new chips will bring some interesting new developments to CPU chip technology, including the highest CPU core count and a new form of DDR4 memory. 

Later this year Intel will be releasing an 8-core i7 Extreme Edition chip that will be geared towards power users and gamers. That marks the highest core count of any CPU chip used in desktops, as the previous Extreme Edition chips maxed out at 6 cores.

Just as the "Broadwell" chips will be replacing their predecessors (Haswell chips) the old DDR3 RAM chips are being replaced by more efficient and powerful DDR4 chips. These new RAM chips will have a much faster throughput, so gamers could see a notable improvement in responsiveness during gameplay.

The Broadwell chips are not a mainstream offering, as their price tag makes them more suitable for computer enthusiasts and gamers that are willing to pay top dollar for the latest technology. With the highest core count ever, more powerful graphics cores and an all-new type of highly efficient RAM in DDR4, the Broadwell chips are set to give desktop PCs a major speed boost.

Intel announced another Broadwell chip on Wednesday as well - an unlocked 5th generation core processor equipped with a high-end Iris Pro graphics card. Since the chip is unlocked, users will be able to tweak clock speed to optimize performance in different applications.

The Broadwell chips will be a tiny bit larger than their predecessors but the added size comes with more power. To test the new CPU chips and other components, Intel has built an all-in-one PC. Surprisingly, all-in-one PCs have been experiencing a surge in popularity during the past year, as consumers are looking for computers that are easy to move around the home yet as powerful as a conventional desktop. 

Many analysts feel as though the tablet market is taking a lot away from laptop sales because people are preferring the portability of handheld devices. This may be why Intel is putting so much recent emphasis on desktop development instead of trying to create lighter and faster notebooks. Still, Intel representatives did briefly mention that Broadwell chips will be available for laptops as well.

However, most of the thinner Broadwell-equipped laptops will not be equipped with the new DDR4 memory chips, as such responsiveness will be most-appreciated by gaming enthusiasts in the desktop market. Furthermore, the DDR4 chips will come at a higher price, so many manufacturers will be hesitant to use these chips until the price drops a bit.

Intel also stated that they're already working on the next generation of all-in-one PCs, and that these might come with a long list of interesting new features, including carrying handles and 3D cameras that can effectively recognize gesture commands, objects, and activities.

The new Broadwell chips are said to be 30 percent more efficient than their Haswell predecessors, and this efficiency could result in laptops with much longer battery life. 

While the finished product is certainly impressive, Intel has had a rough road in getting the Broadwell chips from concept to reality. They've already had to delay production due to manufacturing defects in the early stages. This delay could cause computer manufacturers to postpone using the chips in their devices.

Intel didn't give an exact date when we can expect to see the first Broadwell-equipped laptops, but they did say it would be during the second half of this year, most likely just in time for the holiday shopping season.