14 DAY TRIAL // Having already covered the collection of fourth-generation desktop processing units from Intel, we are left with the mobile lineup. Intel hasn't provided a table of the raw specs like it has for the others, but that might just be because it has decided to wait until tomorrow (June 4, 2013).
That is, after all, when Computex Taipei will actually kick off. Product releases may already be made, but that's mostly so that visitors and everyone else in the world can take the time between June 4 and 8 to look at all the products and hands-on sessions.
As some may or may not know, the reference design of Haswell mobile processing units is called North Cape.
Not long ago, it was reported that it would boost notebook battery life by 50%.
The official presentation slides now making the rounds on the net have confirmed that promise, although not exactly in full.
Which is to say, while North Cape was supposed to enable 10-hour life, at least on efficient Ultrabooks, that isn't the case.
Instead, up to 9.1 hours of HD video playback on Ultrabook-class Core i7 systems will be achieved. That's still more than a standard work shift, so it's an impressive number regardless.
To understand how that is accomplished, one must look at the TDP (thermal design power) of the CPUs and the way energy is preserved.
Haswell mobile processors can work on 15W, versus Ivy Bridge's 20W (17W CPU, 3W chipset). During video playback, though, they can make do with 6W.
There is also an ultra-low power state available, for idle periods. Fresh data can be held for up to 13 days in that mode. Wake-up from sleep takes 3 seconds.
For comparison, Ivy Bridge chips can only manage 4 days and 7 seconds, respectively, and 9W during video playback.
Finally, the mobile Haswell processors have HD 5000 GPUs. Even contemporary 3D games should work fine at HD settings (1366 x 768 pixels). The Iris graphics chip should do even better.
