Dell Launches Intel i7 Laptop
Intel’s “clarksfield”, core i7 processor has four cores and is first mobile chip by the chipmaker, based on its own Nehalem microarchitecture. Most of the Intel processor is likely to move to this design by 2010. Dell is trying to lead in embracing this new technology by launching its first laptops containing new Intel’s core i7 processors designed for laptops. This flagship product from dell for mobile Core i7 is supposed to be 15-inch Alienware M15x gaming laptop and the chip is also offered by Dell as an option for other laptop models worldwide, including Studio 17 and Studio 15.
Intel’s mobile Nehalem platform also includes chip for the future codenamed “Arrandale”, which will be integrating graphics into the CPU (central processor unit) as discussed in the Intel Developer Forum.
Intel PM55 Express chipset is comes in package with the Core i7. This chipset assists the processor in communicating with the rest of the system and is a silicon companion. Turbo-boost and the Hyper-threading are the two features that differentiate Core i7 with the most widely used chips, Core 2 duo processors. The turbo boost is used to speed up and slow down the individual cores to meet power efficiency and processing needs whereas Hyper threading is capable of doubling the number of tasks or threads which a processor can execute.
1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M graphics chip and the Intel Core 920XM CPU are included in the Alienware M15x configurations. The Dell Studio 17 will be featuring the Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz processor, 17.3-inch HD+ (1600×900) display, a 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 graphics chip and 9-cell battery. With similar configuration Core i7 will also be offered with Studio 15 whose pricing will start at $999 and Core i7 will be an option in Dell Studio XPS 16 too whose starting price will be $1249, as declared by Dell.