Intel introduces first eighth-gen processors, promises 40 percent performance increase

Intel has officially taken the wraps off of its latest Core processor family, and it's promising a pretty significant power boost. In fact, Intel says its new eighth-generation line of Core processors will represent a 40 percent increase in performance over its sevevth-generation Kaby Lake predecessor (via Engadget).

To start things off, Intel is unveiling the mobile variations of its eighth-gen chips, made for use in thin-and-light notebooks and 2-in-1s. In addition to a 40 percent performance boost over the previous generation, Intel is also promising to double performance over a 5-year-old machine. That's largely thanks to the four cores packed into each chip, which is a first for Intel's U-series. As far as battery life is concerned, Intel is promising up to 10 hours of local 4K video playback on a charge.

Intel 8th-gen U Range

In terms of raw speed, the new eighth-generation U chips will be available in Core i5 and i7 variants that clock in at between 1.6GHz and 3.4GHz at the low end, and between 1.9GHz and 4.2GHz at the high end. Those clock speeds combined with general enhancements should make tasks like editing videos and photos much faster, according to Intel's estimates.

In any case, Intel says to expect the first devices powered by the eighth-generation i5 and i7 processors ti hit the scene in September. Following the mobile U chips, we can expect the first desktop processors to debut sometime this fall.

Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl