Leaked block diagrams and specs suggest that the Intel Compute Card will feature Apollo Lake and Kaby Lake processor options.
Intel's Compute Card Might be Small, But Will Pack a Good Amount of Punch
Back at CES 2017, Intel revealed an interesting little product that's basically a full-blown PC inside a chassis that's no bigger than a credit card. The product is called the Intel Compute Card, and the concept here is that it will be a part of modular systems. For example, if you buy a TV, tablet, kiosk or some other smart device, the Compute Card will be the brains of it.
Keeping that in mind, you can swap out of the Compute Card with a new one and upgrade to another level of experience if you want. The idea is a clever one, but there's one big problem, and something that bothers us a lot: details are a little sparse regarding what it will be powered by. We're of course, talking about the processor inside it and the compute set of specs. But thanks to CNX-Software, we now know what we can expect from the Compute Card.
In total, there are going to be four different Intel Compute Card models. Two will be based on Apollo Lake, while the other two will be powered by Kaby Lake. Since this is a very tiny form-factor "PC," therefore don't expect much muscle from it either. Also, keep in mind that this product is likely to be marketed to businesses only, so don't expect to walk into a store in order to buy one for yourself. But, who knows Intel might change its plans down the road though.
The full set of specs are as follows for all four SKUs.
Apollo Lake models:
- CD1C64GK – Celeron N3450 quad-core @ 1.1GHz base and 2.2GHz turbo. Intel HD Graphics Gen-9 and 7.5W TDP.
- CD1P64GK – Pentium N4200 quad-core @ 1.1GHz base and 2.5GHz turbo. 18 EU Intel Gen-9 HD Graphics and 6W TDP.
4GB LPDDR3-1866MHz RAM. 64GB eMMC flash, SPI flash for BIOS. WiFi, Bluetooth via USB or PCIe. Compute Card connector: USB Type-C part with USB 3.x, USB CC, DisplayPort 1.2 and USB 2 signals. Extended part with USB 2, DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.x, 2x multiplexed SATA, PCIe interface.
Kaby Lake models:
- CD1M3128MK – Core M3-7Y30 dual-core / quad-thread @ 1.0GHz base and 2.6GHz turbo. Intel HD Graphics 615 and 4.5W TDP.
- CD1IV128MK – Core i5-7Y57 dual-core / quad-thread @ 1.2GHz base and 3.3GHz turbo. Intel HD Graphics 615 and 4.5W TDP. Support for Intel vPro.
4GB LPDDR3-1866MHz RAM. 128GB PCIe SSD, SPI flash for BIOS. WiFi, Bluetooth via USB or PCIe. Compute Card connector: USB Type-C part with USB 3.x, USB CC, DisplayPort 1.2 and USB 2 signals. Extended part with USB 2, DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.x, 1x multiplex Gigabit Ethernet, PCIe x1.
Pricing details have currently not been provided but we'll continue to keep you guys in the loop as soon as we have more information on the matter.
