Intel Corp.'s next-generation Atom-based system-on-chip (SoC) product will feature greatly improved graphics performance. The device, which is known as code-named Medfield mobile platform, will be capable of encoding video at 720p and decoding video at a 1080p resolution.

Intel's Medfield platform will be more suitable for smartphones, slates and other ultra-portable devices that previous-generation Menlow and current-generation Moorestown platform, according to a document accidentally posted on Intel's web-site and noticed by Infoworld web-site. The SoC itself will be just 144mm² in size and will have much lower standby power than the current Moorestown thanks to 32nm manufacturing process. Moreover, the product will have four times higher graphics performance compare to Intel Menlow platform (which has PowerVR SGX 535 graphics core).

At present it is not clear whether Intel Medfield - which consists of Penwell SoC and Avantel Passage core-logic - will support Microsoft Windows operating systems. Intel's Moorestown only supports various builds of Linux as well as Intel/Nokia MeeGo platform, which greatly reduces the number of applications that can use the SoC.

Considering the fact that Medfield will be capable of encoding video at 720p and decoding video at a 1080p resolution, it is logical to expect the product to find home inside various consumer electronics, such as Blu-ray disc players, TV-sets or set-top-boxes (STBs). In fact, MeeGo platform can power not only tablets and smartphones, but also netbooks, STBs as well as other low-power devices.

Intel did not comment on the news-story.

Tags: Intel, Medfielf, Menlow, Moorestown, Penwell