Intel redefines desktop and mobile computing

There’s never been a better time for a business to refresh its devices

The obsolescence of XP-based systems, the rise of BYOD and the impending end of the financial year make this the perfect time to have a discussion with your clients about Intel and the opportunities its range of products has to offer.

Intel is no stranger to innovation, with the company’s products always being at the forefront of PC technology, for both desktops and portables. It has built up a lot of trust in its name, mainly due to the reliability and class-leading performance of its technology and the products that it enables.

There is no doubt that there is a storied history there when it comes to processors and chip technology, but Intel is much more than just a chip company, with a multitude of new products ready to make a serious impact on business; products which can enable your business to reach new markets and offer excellent upgrade paths to existing clients.

SMB: IT spending on the up

Current research from IDC on trends in the SMB market indicates the coming financial year will see strong investment in ICT. As organisations make the transition to a more mobile and dynamic workplace, they will be looking for products that make this transition easy and flexible.

IDC vice-president of SMB research, Raymond Boggs, said the analyst firm is predicting record worldwide SMB IT spending for 2014 of $US560 billion, with exceptional gains in key regions and across key technologies.

SMBs are being transformed through the use of mobile devices and Cloud computing, two key components of what IDC calls the 3rd Platform. Changes in how technology is acquired and used will cause major disruptions for some IT players. However, as Boggs notes, “The opportunity for firms to sharpen their products, refine distribution strategy, and appeal to new customers has never been greater.”

Respondents to IDG’s State of the IT Channel Survey 2013 overwhelmingly said securing new customers was their top management priority for the year ahead. The report also showed that 80 per cent of resellers said that the most valuable thing vendors provide is training and certification.

Intel’s range of innovative products will ensure resellers have options to break into markets that were previously not accessible. Furthermore, Intel is committed to channel relations and understands the importance of being able to properly train customers so they can get the most out of their products.

Telsyte senior analyst, Rodney Gedda, said the purchasing cycle for technology is changing. While the purchasing cycle for desktops has remained static, the tablet and smartphone sector has exploded and cycles are considerably shorter. The analyst firm estimates 9.4 million Australians are now using tablets.

With almost half the population using the technology, there is a change in the way we see and use computers.

Instead of waiting for clients to reach the end of their traditional purchasing cycle, Intel products can provide opportunities to access new customers eager to transition into the mobile lifestyle but perhaps unaware how to best harness the technology.

The goal should be to help clients maximise productivity rather than having them worry about price points. Many of them may be looking at products that hit specific price points but, at the same time, they should be looking at products that are the best solution for their needs.

New products, more opportunities

Intel is renowned for having the latest desktop processors and the most modern laptop technology but that is just part of the Intel story. At the same time, Intel’s new range of products can be used to reach out to customers who have a need for unique computing solutions that traditional desktops and laptops can’t fulfil.

Take the Next Unit of Computing, or NUC, as it’s known. This is a pint-sized computer that has been borne out of a need for more compact, yet still powerful computers. Or the 2-in-1 devices, which Intel has helped pioneer through its advanced system on chip (SoC) technology and through Core CPU-powered Ultrabooks, allowing one device to be used both as a tablet and as a regular laptop.

And then there is solid state storage. Intel has been offering solid state drives (SSDs) for many years, and the company has just launched a high-speed product that is designed to not only be reliable, but also fast enough to tickle the fancy of the fussiest enthusiast PC builders.

Finally, there are the server products, which are perhaps the unsung heroes of the company’s product portfolio, as they enable many small business customers to more efficiently store and access data, in ways some may have thought were only reserved for big business. These products allow you to help provide services and build better, longer-term relationships with your clients.

Servers

Get a new team member eager to accelerate growth and boost productivity from day 1

A lot of small businesses still store data on regular desktop PCs, and this potential customer base is often unaware of the reliability benefits offered by an entry-level server, both when it comes to the prevention of data loss, and the recovery from data loss.

An Intel Xeon E3-based server is built with 24/7 operation in mind using predominantly Intel parts, and there are safeguards in place to ensure your clients always know the status of their data and hardware. Data corruption due to memory errors can be detected before it occurs due to the implementation of error-correcting code (ECC) memory, which desktop PCs don’t support.

Intel’s Rapid Storage Technology is also provided, and this not only makes sure data is served at the quickest and most efficient rates, it also keeps a handle on backups and ensures that recovery can be swift in the event that a hard drive has to be replaced.

Initial outlay costs are always a worry for small businesses, and many might turn to a Cloud-based service for their data storage. In the long run, ongoing subscription costs will negate the savings made from not using an in-house server.

Intel supports Advanced Warranty for all Gold and Platinum technology partners: five years for SSDs and three years for NUC, CPU, Servers, and components. If you ever have a problem with a product, Intel will ship a replacement part even before the failed part has been returned.

2-in-1 products

The 2-in-1 is the ultimate dual purpose machine -
both a tablet and a laptop

‘Spoilt for choice’ is the term that comes to mind when thinking about the 2-in-1 product category that Intel has helped spawn due to its extensive range of mobile processors. From the most elegant Ultrabooks to the most portable entry-level products, Intel’s mobile processor and system-on-chip (SoC) technology has allowed notebook and tablet manufacturers to come up with different products that are suited to any lifestyle and workflow.

A 2-in-1 is essentially a product that can be used both as a laptop and as a tablet. A wealth of products in the range ensure that your customers can be supplied the gear that’s perfect for their requirements. There are two types of 2-in-1 styles that you need to make your customers aware of: convertibles and detachables. They both serve a different purpose.

Ideal normal powerful laptop

Flip-style yoga 2 pro

In a convertible style 2-in-1, the screen can be flipped, slid, twisted or ‘Ferris wheeled’ to turn a regular notebook into a tablet, and the emphasis is on the built-in keyboard experience. This type of 2-in-1 product is ideal for customers who prefer a normal, powerful laptop, as well as a product for long periods of typing. The conversion to a tablet is beneficial when your customers want to give small presentations or show off their work to their clients, or they can simply use it for a better overall media and interactive gaming experience.

A detachable 2-in-1 device is one in which the tablet screen can be separated from the keyboard base and carried easily on its own, without the bulkiness of the keyboard. With this type of product, the emphasis is on the tablet experience, rather than the keyboard. Such products are thin and light, and provide long battery life, which is beneficial for field use. The processing power and battery is located within the tablet, with the base usually only holding the keyboard and extra ports, though this can vary depending on the manufacturer and the target market for the product.

What all products have in common is versatility, and a great overall user experience. All of the 2-in-1 products use Windows, which means your clients can rely on them to run the applications they are already familiar with. Quick boot-up times are also a common trait, with access to the system requiring only a few seconds.

With detachables the emphasis is on the tablet

Product class varies according to the processor used. For entry-level products, there is a choice of not only Intel Atom, but also Intel Celeron and Pentium processors, all on a Bay Trail SOC, which means they are the latest generation models and are optimised to allow you to hit competitive price points, but they are still excellent products for day-to-day computing tasks, including running Microsoft Office.

Intel® Core™ Processor Family

At the mid-range, your customers can expect Intel Core i3-based products, while higher end products will feature Core i5 and Core i7 processors, which will allow them to do more extensive multitasking and run more taxing applications. The Core-based products are the ultimate 2-in-1s that are also classified as Ultrabooks due to not only their power, but their slim profile.

The message with 2-in-1 products is clients don’t need to juggle two different products, and, indeed, won’t have to outlay cash for two separate devices. They can have one Windows-based device that’s versatile enough to be used either at a desk as a regular computer, running the software they are already used to, or as a tablet that gives them a more intuitive touch interface when they are on the move.

Next Unit of Computing

The Shape that Fits the Future

Whether you are targeting small and medium business users or consumers, Intel’s NUC can be tailored to virtually any need.

The NUC relies on Intel’s proven and powerful notebook technology components, so it runs cool and quiet, and there are enough ports on the sides to handle external peripherals and expansion. The CPU options for the NUC are numerous, and like most of Intel’s products, are designed to hit a range of different price points and appeal to wide range of users.

Customers can start off with a Thin Canyon Atom-based NUC (the DE3815TYKHE and DE3815TYBE), or choose one of the more powerful Core i3 or Core i5 models. Display options are also numerous depending on the model that is chosen. These are areas in which customers can be guided to ensure they get the most suitable product for their requirements. The entry-level NUC versions can be used for kiosks, at point of sale, to drive simple digital signage, and to facilitate other single-display opportunities.

Small enough for a cubicle, powerful enough for the corner office

More Grunt Means Broader Usage

The more powerful NUCs have dual-display support and more grunt so that they can be used in offices, in touchscreen kiosks, or in other situations where more CPU and display power is required. At the high-end, there are NUCs that can be used with 4K displays for advertising boards or product displays in retail, or for photographers who want to show off their work in their studio; there are NUCs with triple-display support that are perfect for driving surveillance systems and for use in other multi-screen environments.

Storage options vary depending on the version of the NUC, but your customers can choose either a NUC with an mSATA-based SSD, or a NUC with a 2.5in drive bay that can accommodate either a traditional notebook hard drive up to 2TB, or one of Intel’s fast new 2.5in SSDs. These NUCs are the D54250WYKH, D34010WYKH, and DN2820FYKH. Furthermore, external storage can be easily attached via USB 3.0, and network storage can be taken advantage of for central data access.

Your HD movie library in 4 inches square

Space-saving design

Consumers love the NUC for its small size and its ability to be used as a media centre or home theatre PC, and the ability for these users to now use mass storage within the NUC should be even more appealing. Meanwhile, business users love the space saving design and the lower power consumption of these devices compared to traditional desktop PCs.

The ability of the NUC to be used in a cramped area means it’s also perfect for businesses with space restrictions that affect the types of computers they can use. With a Core i5-based vPro model, a customer can implement a solution that is not only small and powerful, but also capable of being remotely monitored and managed.

The diverse range of Intel NUC devices offers a solution for customers who would otherwise have had to turn to more specialised suppliers. With the NUC, you can supply consumers, regular business users, and also reach out to vertical markets that have more niche needs.

Solid-State Drive 730 Series

Fine-tuned For Speed

Clients looking for the fastest storage devices for their systems should be pointed towards Intel’s Solid-State Drive 730 Series. It’s a drive that has datacentre DNA, but has been tweaked heavily to provide the fastest possible performance for high-end computer systems. In fact, it’s Intel’s first factory overclocked SSD.

It’s an SSD that’s aimed primarily at PC enthusiasts and gamers, but other users who require high-end performance and efficiency will also benefit from using it. This means you can push it to any of your clients that need fast storage for their video editing or digital content creation systems, or to users who work with design and engineering applications – it will be equally at home in either a gaming rig, high-end home computer, or a workstation.

Fine-tuned for speed

The 730 Series features a 2.5-inch form factor and a 7mm thickness. The capacities that are available are 240GB and 480GB. A standard SATA 6Gbps interface is present, and the overall sustained sequential performance of the drive is up to 550 megabytes per second (MBps) when reading data, and up to 470MBps when writing data. The SSD’s random input/output operations per second (IOPS) are rated at up to 89,000 for reading, and 74,000 for writing.

Internal Intel test results with Iometer 2009. 10/22 on Intel Core i7 4770K, Z87 Chipset, 8GB PC3-10700, RST version 12.8
For more information go to: http://www.intel.com/performance

Intel has taken steps to fine-tune the drive to lower the latency as much as possible when fetching data. This is something that enthusiasts and gamers value highly. In addition, Intel has optimised the SSD’s firmware so that only the most essential elements have been included, and the SSD’s controller has also been made to run as fast as possible.

You don’t often hear the term overclocking when it comes to SSDs, but that’s exactly what Intel has done on its 730 Series drives. The Intel third-generation controller has been bumped up from 400MHz to 600MHz, while the 20nm NAND flash memory, which uses multi-level cell (MLC) technology, has been set to run at 100MHz compared to its standard of 83MHz.

Intel’s rigorous internal validation and qualification process ensure the drive can perform at these levels consistently. The end result is a spectacularly fast drive that is also highly reliable. Indeed, the endurance of the 730 Series has not been negatively affected due to the noticeable increase in performance. The drive is capable of undertaking 70GB per day worth of write operations, which is up from 20GB per day compared to typical client SSDs. Like Intel’s other SSDs, the 730 Series is also covered by a 5-year warranty.

The key message here is that the drive is safe. It’s the first time Intel’s third-generation SSD controller has been used in a consumer and client-facing SSD, and it also uses higher endurance NAND cells than traditional consumer drives. That’s why we say that this drive has datacentre DNA.

The overclocked parts are not just a flash in the pan; they provide a stable running environment for a drive that can offer consistently high throughput when under the heaviest of loads. It’s the type of drive that any demanding user will appreciate.

When used in a RAID 0 array running on an Intel platform with an Intel chipset and Intel’s Rapid Storage Technology, two 730 Series drives will be able to produce results that exceed 1000MBps read speeds. Four drives will be able to supply up to 1500MBps. Make sure you mention this to any of your clients who are set on building the fastest possible gaming PCs or workstations.

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