Intel says Haswell will improve battery life by 50 percent

[Shawn Knight]

Intel’s next generation processor is just around the corner and in an effort to build some additional hype ahead of launch, the chip maker has revealed some interesting facts about Haswell. During a recent media briefing, architecture group VP Rani Borkar said Haswell was designed with notebooks and tablets in mind.

The focus on mobile is evident when you consider the new chip will provide up to 50 percent better battery life during normal use. What’s more, systems sporting Haswell can last up to 20 times longer than those featuring Ivy Bridge in standby or idle modes – those are pretty significant numbers, to say the least.

Fewfound battery improvements come as a result of lower power requirements as well as an all-new architecture that contains a power management chip designed to, well, reduce power consumption. The good news is that better battery life won’t come at the expense of system performance.

Keep in mind of course that at this point, these are simply claims from Intel that have yet to be tested by third parties. Having a low-power chip is just one of the parts in the overall equation as other components like high resolution displays also sip a great deal of juice. Whether or not manufacturers can build systems that realize Intel’s improved battery claims remains to be seen.

We should have a better idea of where real-world systems stand next month as a host of PC makers will be on hand for Computex, no doubt with Haswell-powered systems on display.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/52695-intel-says-haswell-will-improve-battery-life-by-50-percent.html

 

[Jad Chaar]

Now we are talking.

 

[Vrmithrax]

So, looking at how power consumption in a typical laptop occurs, to get a 50% battery life improvement, the processor and chipset would have to run at well over 75% less power than previous models, wouldn't it? System idles and sleep modes have nothing to do with the big power consumers in mobile hardware (like screens), so I have to wonder if they are being creative with their assertions.

50% better battery life when in sleep or standby, I could believe. 50% better power efficiency in the processor itself, sure. How it breaks down into battery life improvement under typical usage conditions, that will be quite interesting.

 

[spydercanopus]

Watch them be half the frequency. Back to 850mhz... but efficient!

 

[Darth Shiv]

Well if they drop clocks when you aren't using the juice, can't complain about that particularly if it is resulting in massive power consumption decreases.

 

[veLa]

For some reason I seriously doubt it.

 

[Jad Chaar]

For some reason I seriously doubt it.

Yeah, I think a more realistic number is 30%, especially when factoring in program usage/habits.

 

[Ultraman1966]

Without a frame of reference that 50% figure is meaningless.

 

[windmill007]

That's about all they do besides help onboard graphics. I will be using my sandy bridge for a long time it seems.

 

[Railman]

Not forgetting the premium that is charged for i3 i5 and i7 CPUs! Intel and MS want their pound of flesh.

 

[GhostRyder]

That sounds great, improving mobile battery life needs to be a primary focus!!!