Intel's Credit-Card Sized Compute Card Detailed, Shipping in August
by Ryan Smith on June 1, 2017 3:00 PM EST- Posted in
- CPUs
- Intel
- Compute Card
- Computex 2017
Intel unveiled its credit card-sized Compute Card at CES earlier this year, and now at Computex, the company has brought us up to speed on the available SKUs and the release date.
The Compute Card comes packed with the full functionality of a standard computer, including an SoC, connectivity, storage, and memory in one slim device. The device slots into a range of devices from laptops, tablets, and AIOs to interactive refrigerators and IoT gateways. The devices can be ejected and replaced, thus decoupling compute from the device and allowing for easy upgrades as the card evolves into more powerful variants. That could also make for interesting new laptop platforms with longer shelf lives.
| Intel Compute Card SKUs | ||||||
| CD1IV128MK | CD1M3128MK | CD1P64GK | CD1C64GK | |||
| CPU | Core i5-7Y57 | Core m3-7Y30 | Pentium N4200 | Celeron N3450 | ||
| Memory | 4GB DDR3 | |||||
| Storage | 128GB Intel SSD | 64GB eMMC | ||||
| Connectivity | Intel Wireless-AC 8265 (2×2 .11ac & Bluetooth 4.2) |
Intel Wireless-AC 7265 (2×2 .11ac & Bluetooth 4.2) |
||||
The Compute Card family offers processors that span from Core to Celeron and come in four SKUs. Each respective product has varying compute, storage, and connectivity options, though the processor serves as the only differentiation between the two high-end options. Aside from listing the processors, Intel hasn't given us an indication of performance.
Intel has signed on a bevy of partners to develop new products that leverage the device, including Contec, ECS, Foxconn, LG Display, MoBits Electronics, NexDock, Sharp, Seneca, SMART Technologies, Suzhou Lehui Display, and TabletKiosk. Many of these partners will have products on display at Computex 2017. Dell, HP, and Lenovo are also working on new products, but have yet to reveal any of the end devices.
Intel also released its Compute Card Device Design Kit, which is a set of guides and reference designs that simplify and speed up the product development process.
In many ways Intel's Compute Card signifies the company's continued push for product diversification as it delves into IoT, automated driving, and other lucrative climes. In this case, its efforts also further its objectives in the mobility space, as we can expect new laptops and AIOs to come to market with the new cards installed. The Compute Card will begin shipping in August 2017, but Intel hasn't revealed pricing info.
Paul Alcorn contributed to this report
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Hurr Durr - Friday, June 2, 2017 - link
I bought a new KL laptop this year and was very pleasantly surprised with performance gain. Granted, previous one was rocking i3-380um.smilingcrow - Friday, June 2, 2017 - link
The power efficiency gains since Sandy Bridge are dramatic and the extra features of the platform are useful also and keep in mind that SB platform didn't even have native USB 3.0 support.My current laptop has dual ThunderBolt 3 which is very useful for docking and charging as well as being USB Type C.
On top of that it's fanless as it has a 4.5W TDP CPU and it's clear that it's a world away from SB.
name99 - Thursday, June 1, 2017 - link
Its almost like the key to FASTER LOWER POWER devices is to put more and more functionality closer and closer together, ideally on the same chip...Nah, physics cant be the reason, must be a conspiracy theory.
skavi - Friday, June 2, 2017 - link
These are definitely not a single chip...vladx - Saturday, June 3, 2017 - link
Obviously name99 was talking about the possible final transformation in the future, not now.CaedenV - Saturday, June 3, 2017 - link
I imagine it would be the other way around: you spend a ton of money on a card, and pick up a disposable shell to protect it. Break your laptop and you can pry the card out and put it in something else. Or have the card be your pc, and throw it in a desktop at home and work, and a laptop or phone shell while on the go.barryp - Thursday, June 1, 2017 - link
I could see this being popular if laptops get banned on airlines. With this you could give them the housing that has the battery, keyboard, screen - and keep this part with you. Or just rent/borrow a laptop housing at your destination.Bullwinkle J Moose - Thursday, June 1, 2017 - link
HEY, where's that $100 Laptop Microsoft promised us 10 years ago?We could plug the laptop into another monitor or use the wireless video we were promised
Why do you require locking me into ANOTHER proprietary platform that does not benefit me at all?
SILENCE THAT MOOSE!
The Great Oz has spoken
tecknohow - Thursday, June 1, 2017 - link
Well I've got a $100 tablet from 2012 that runs full Windows on an Intel processor. It has both WiDi and HDMI-out to a monitor. So we got them, albeit a few years late.I'm not sure what your point is though. If you don't have a use for these that's great. Others will. Does every single product in existence have to benefit you specifically for it to have value? Because honestly, the world doesn't really care whether Bullwinkle J Moose thinks these are a good idea or not, let alone if he personally is going to buy them.
bananaforscale - Thursday, June 1, 2017 - link
That tablet won't have AES-NI tho.