ARM CPU's are barely edging out Intels second attempt at a true mobile CPU--with something like their 20th revision. Says a lot when Intel can come in half a decade late and catch up within two years. Last year Toms Hardware ran an article that I completely believe, making the bold claim that by the end of 2014 Intel would be making mobile CPU's that were at least as good as the ARM alternatives.
Wait a second.
Intel has been developing the x86-64 designed processors since the 80's. If my math is correct, that's 30+ years to get the designs correct. They've had time to learn how to boost power efficiency, increase operational frequency, and they've got a development budget that makes some nations look poor comparatively.
ARM is an initiative by multiple entities that takes the less utilized RISC instruction set and agreed upon standards to make low power consumption chips. Let's agree with that 20th revision ARM processor assumption. If Intel only had 3 processor revisions during R&D every year, you're looking at 90th+ generation of Intel x86-64 processor. Intel is ARM's senior by enough revisions to consider the two entities entirely separate of one another.
Back on topic. 4770~=3770 isn't something new. Intel is focusing on mobile platforms (socket 2011 being the first casualty, but 1155 not lagging too far behind), and allowing higher performing segments to languish. It's not a surprise to anyone who's been around in the past three years.
Intel is trying to squash ARM. It's trying to prevent the APU from claiming any ground. Intel is finding itself in a unique position where two competitors have had a lead into the market they want to be in. AMD has graphics, ARM has power efficiency, and Intel is closing the gap. I know that it isn't what power users want to hear, but at least the mobile computing market isn't stagnating.
