The ultrabook represent a category of portable, in its intentions, would replace the ultra-thin and ultra-light models, with the addition of certain specific tasks, such as’ ultra-fast startup and the obligation to use Intel processors. Some examples of such devices have already seen, however, recently held at Computex Taipei in June 2011.
Intel Ultrabook Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge and Haswell
The launch of Intel’s plan is divided into three phases, but before you see them let’s recap the salient features that Intel has decided to identify a laptop as Ultrabook. The first characteristic is related to the thickness, so it was determined the upper limit of 21 mm. Since, however, has not been established a minimum will be very easy to see different products with thicknesses less, which is already the case with some of the other ultra-thin highly motivated. The second mandatory feature is the ability to exit from hibernate mode more quickly.
And ‘in fact, Intel plans to offer complete user experience, unlike what was possible with Android or iPhone OS, adopting for its Ultrabook the operating system Microsoft Windows 7, but at the same time combining it with almost instant boot capability of typical tablet. To do so, has developed a technology called Rapid Start, which will use a certain amount of memory SSD to save the hibernation file. In this way the advantage of joining a speed that is comparable to restart from suspend to RAM, but with the advantage of killing consumption typical of hibernation, instead just save the file to the main hard drive, so you may completely shut down the entire computer. Start times should thus be provided for about 5 seconds.
Intel Ultrabook Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge and Haswell
Another essential feature for Intel is to improve energy efficiency and thus greater autonomy. According to the rules of the house of Santa Clara in fact, the more compact Ultrabook will be able to guarantee a minimum of 5 hours of battery life, but you can be as high as 8 hours for other models with more space to accommodate larger capacity batteries. Finally, great emphasis was also placed on data security. The fact Ultrabook firmware and BIOS must implement appropriate technologies to support Intel and Intel Anti Theft Identity Protection Technology, which allow you to track your computer in case of loss or theft and protect your online accounts using a hardware identification system based, which generates a unique code attached to that particular laptop.
So, as we said, the Intel program is divided into three phases, the first is already in place and just started in June with the introduction of new models of Sandy Bridge Ultra Low Voltage CPU, which will equip fact already seen the first Ultrabook at Computex and will land on the market within the Christmas holidays. The second phase will start instead in the first half of 2012, when the new CPUs will be ready Ivy Bridge, which will bring many new features, including native support for new interfaces, I / O and USB 3.0 ultra fast as the Thunderbolt, which will then both present on ultrabook second generation.
Finally, in 2013, will begin the third phase, by introducing a new microarchitecture that will keep the Haswell to 22 nm production process introduced by Ivy Bridge, but will in fact an entirely new architecture that promises to combine performance further, especially in multimedia, a more stringent energy conservation, which should be around the middle of the current CPU TDP of Sandy Bridge.
