CES 2010: Intel Shows Off New Core Processor Family

The new Core chips, based on Intel's Arrandale and Clarkdale technology, are the first 32nm processors from Intel. The company introduced four Core i3, eight i5, and five i7 chips, all of which come with Intel's Hyper-Threading technology for multitasking. The new Core processors are designed for desktops, mobile computing and integrated devices.

The i5 and i7 Core processors also come with Intel's Turbo Boost technology for adaptive performance; Turbo Boost is designed to automatically accelerate performance by adjusting to the workload, providing an extra "boost" in performance when needed.

The entry-level i3 Core processors lack Turbo Boost but do provide HD graphics support built into the processor. Thus, Intel says there is no need for an add-on graphics card for either a desktop or laptop running on i3 Core processors. There are currently two i3 processors for desktops and two for mobile computers with clock speeds between 2.13GHz and 3.06GHz.

The i5 Core processors, meanwhile, come with a variety of styles and clock speeds for both laptops and desktops. The i5-540M mobile processor features the top speed at 2.53GHz, which can reach 3.06MHz with Turbo Boost. The i5-670 desktop processor has a clock speed of 3.46GHz and can reach 3.73GHz with Turbo Boost. Most of the eight i5 Core processors are ultra-low-voltage chips, according to Intel.

Lastly, the i7 Core processors represent the top line of the new Core family for mobile processors. The five new models range from the i7-620UM Core, which has a clock speed of 1.06GHz and can reach up to 2.13GHz with Turbo Boost, to the i7-620M, which can jump from a standard clock speed of 2.66GHz to 3.33GHZ with Turbo Boost. The i7-620M Core is the most expensive of the bunch at $332, according to Intel, while the i5-530 costs $113.