Apple just refreshed its MacBook Air lineup a few months ago with faster Haswell dual-core processors, so it is safe to assume that the notebook series will not be updated for at least another several months. But when the Cupertino-based company does eventually release the next generation of MacBook Airs, it is more than possible that the new models could be completely silent…
Intel followed up on the WWDC keynote yesterday afternoon by revealing the world’s first 14nm fanless mobile PC reference design. The 12.5-inch tablet prototype is built off the latest Broadwell processors by Intel, and the majority of designs based on this new chip will not have a cooling fan. This would allow for Apple to create a MacBook Air that is both razor-thin and sound free.
Intel will make its energy-efficient Broadwell processors, marketed as Core M processors, available on the market later this year. Apple typically refreshes its MacBook Air lineup on an eight to twelve month cycle, so there is a chance that the processors could be included in the next-generation notebooks. Other benefits of the Core M processors include faster performance and longer battery life.
The full excerpt from the press release (via The Verge):
James also revealed the world’s first 14nm fanless mobile PC reference design from Intel. The 2 in 1 is a 12.5-inch screen that is 7.2mm thin with keyboard detached and weighs 670 grams. It includes a media dock that provides additional cooling for a burst of performance. The innovative design is based on the first of Intel’s next-generation 14nm Broadwell processors that are purpose-built for 2 in 1s and will be in market later this year. Called the Intel® Core™ M processor, it will deliver the most energy-efficient Intel Core processor in the company’s history1. The majority of designs based on this new chip are expected to be fanless and deliver both a lightning-fast tablet and a razor-thin laptop.