Intel Updating UMPC Platform This Month? 10% of PC Market by 2010?

HKEPC Hardware reveals that Intel is updating the UMPC platform later this month at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF). It will still be based on the Pentium M, but is going to take up a lot less space and have more power-saving features (dropping from 12.6 Watt TDP to 9.3W TDP). Although the CPU speeds drop to 800MHz and 600MHz, it does support a 400MHz Front Side Bus, as well as better support of some features of Microsoft Windows Vista with the Intel GMA X3000 graphics chipset. This platform is being called ‘McCaslin’ while the 2008 is called ‘Menlow’. By 2009, they are looking at runtimes of 12-24 hours.

Excerpt from the article:

According to the source, Intel’s UMPC products currently adopt the former Dothan ULV processors (35mmx35mm), while the chipsets take up the 915 north bridge (27mmx27mm) which collocated with ICH6 south bridge (31mmx31mm). The total space occupied by these three chips is 2915 mm². Compared to the UMPC solution provided by VIA, the space occupied by whose C7-M processor is 21mmx21mm, in addition, VIA takes up the single-chip design of CX700M (27.5mmx37.5mm), and the total space occupied is only 1847.25 mm². For the tight and precious PCB layout of UMPC, the product design provided by Intel lacks flexibility, and the additional functions which can be added in are also relatively restricted. As a result, most of the manufacturers are considering adopting VIA’s C7M.

In order to reduce the large chipset area, Intel has planned to launch a brand-new platform of UMPC which codenamed “McCaslin”, while the processor “Stealey”. Though still adopting the 90-nm manufacturing, the total space occupied is tremendously reduced to 14mmx19mm, and 78% of the space is free when compared to the previous models. The microarchitecture will still base on Pentium M, and the clock rate will be 600MHz and 800Mhz respectively. The whole system will be electricity-saving with the 512 KB L2 Cache and the additional mode of Deep Sleep Support (C4).

What I find very interesting about this article, is that Intel expects this market (Ultra Mobile PC – UMPC) to reach 10% or more of the overall PC market.