Intel Says it Will Out-Wrestle ARM in Power Usage

I'd say that'd be putting Atom cpu's in the place they where designed for, They aren't much use anywhere else.

But more seriously I think that they are trying to just throw money at an idea like Microsoft are with WP7, They perceive it to be an area they can't fail in but I very much expect they are way off the mark.

I've been coding for both processors since the late 80s, back when ARM stood for Acorn Risc Machine and the differences between the chips remain fundamentally the same. Intel chips, of any vintage, are klunky CISC processors with tons of instructions versus the streamlined RISC design of the ARM. That's not going to change with any redesign of the frankly laughable Atom core. You're still talking about muscle car versus motorcycle. Maybe Intel can find a way to power down enough of their core that non-peak power use is low - but I sincerely doubt processing throughput will be equivalent - in fact that's probably what Intel are struggling with. No reason for ARM to rest on their laurels though - as the article mentions that's a hell of an RnD department to compete with.

Remember AMD developing complicated quad cores
and at the same time intel had smaller transistors already.....slapped 2 dual-cores together and just with raw power beat the competition.
Wouldn't be surprised to see that again.

You have to remember that Intel is a very recognisable brand. If phone companies start plastering Intel Inside all over phone adverts the less informed consumer will look down that list of specs see Intel or ARM and sway to the blue because its what they know, not what's necessarily better. And Intel have a massive budget and I can see this being very important to them as smartphones become ever more popular. Only a matter of time for AMD too.

Big money to be made, you can invest a couple billion in r&d.

My 2 Pence (UK)

All I can say it's going to be some serious competition.

I believe it's going to be a big challenge from Intel's part, as at present they may be saying that they may out-wrestle ARM in the power usage - but I remember similar scenarios in competing in the graphics market with their super GMA graphics trying to contend with nvidia and ATI graphic chipsets, and it just did not work.

For consumers, they could beat ARM just by using their brand. But out-wrestling ARM in power usage... Well, that wouldn't come easy.

Intel is just waking up to the stark reality that in a couple of years time most folks will do their day to day PC work on low voltage mobile CPU chips and not big power hungry x86 chips.

Intel's (and to a degree AMD's) core market is slowly slipping away.

They have the massive budget needed to develop such a chip, but will that be enough?

1) x86 is completely different than ARM. Will developers want to redo their existing code and program new code for two platforms?

2) Will manufacturers want to change to a new platform, severing ties with current suppliers?

3) Just a die shrink and update of the Atom architecture most likely won't suffice. They'll need an architecture with near zero idle power consumption, which Atom isn't just yet.

I just don't see it. As others have mentioned the only advantage I see for intel is their brand. The ARM platform, though it's use of coprocessors is simply more flexible in providing specialized solutions. Manufacturers can build their systems using any number of processor, coprocessors and/or bus configurations to meet their specific needs. The Atom on the other hand is an all in one solution and may often be the equivalent of placing a round peg into a square hole. Unless Intel has something in the works to provide the same level of customization to the manufacturers I don't think may will jump to the Intel brand simply for the brand. It might sell some devises in the short term but as soon as people start complaining the ride will be over.