Intel introduces Tremont, power sipping chip for IoT

Intel has announced it’s next-generation low power CPU, named Tremont. Based on the 10nm process, Tremont is the next-gen low-power x86 microarchitecture that is said to be a marked improvement over the previous generation. It’s efficient and power sipping attributes make it ideal for small form factor PCs, IoT (internet of things) devices and conservative data center products.

Tremont chips are built on Intel’s 3D packaging technology Foveros, and is integrated within a wider set of silicon IPs in Lakefield. According to the chip maker, a version of this processor powers the dual-screen Microsoft Surface Neo. The same book-like device that made its debuted early this month alongside its smaller sibling, the Surface Duo.

Credit: Intel

Lakefield, hybrid cores in a 3D package, is meant to benefit mobility form factor devices with best in class performance but with a lower TDP compared to rivals. This would make it ideal for always on and always connected devices. It is also said to consume very low power on standby, 1/10th that of the previous generation chips.

This power efficiency is due to a unique 6-wide (2×3-wide clustered) out-of-order decoder in the front end, which allows for a more efficient feed to the wider back end, and this, according to Intel provides the necessary performance. It will also have Intel Core class branch prediction, 10 execution ports, dual load/store pipelines, quad-core module and up to 4.5MB of L2 cache.

Intel has yet to announce actual chips from the architecture, but based on the claims that were made, Tremont processors should help power the next wave of connected devices that provide the necessary productivity to smart homes.