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Intel's Concept for AIO Broadwell PCs Codenamed Blackbrook

By - Source: Tom's Hardware US | B 13 comments
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Intel's prototype for a portable all-in-one will be carried around like a briefcase.

Intel is looking to reinvent the desktop. After decades of the ubiquitous tower, Intel is looking toward the next big form factor that will house its desktop chips. While enthusiasts love the tower for obvious reasons, all-in-ones are becoming increasingly popular with mainstream buyers.

During a conference call, Intel VP and GM of Desktop Client Platforms Group, Lisa Graff, said that consumers are drawn to all-in-ones for the combination of the power of a desktop inside a big, beautiful screen. In its development of new all-in-one designs, Intel crafted prototypes and tested them with actual families in their phones. Intel discovered that people tend to move their computers around. In the U.S., one in three computer users have moved their tower machines. In China, however, two out of three have moved their towers. This behavior shaped Intel's portable all-in-one concept called Blackbrook.

RealSense CameraRealSense Camera Blackbrook is based on Broadwell and incorporates several new technologies, such as RealSense Camera that can detect gestures, and quad-array microphones for clear sound input regardless of orientation. One of its design trademarks is a popup handle so that users may carry it like a suitcase, which Intel says makes it perfect for taking from the office or study into the kitchen or living room to fulfill both work and play functions.

Broadwell InsideBroadwell Inside

Intel's been showing off its prototype for a while now. In fact, a Haswell-based version of it was codenamed Bluebrook, but the timing to market made it better suited as a Broadwell device. In fact, these portable all-in-ones (pAIO) will be using the mobile versions of Broadwell, giving the same design values on battery life and packaging.

Lifting the hinged handleLifting the hinged handle

Story updated with photos.

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Top Comments
  • 11 Hide
    Blazer1985 , March 19, 2014 6:56 PM
    "consumers are drawn to all-in-ones for the combination of the power of a desktop inside a big, beautiful screen." AIO use laptop derivative low power components. They have the power of a good laptop -> nowhere near a serious desktop.
Other Comments
  • 11 Hide
    Blazer1985 , March 19, 2014 6:56 PM
    "consumers are drawn to all-in-ones for the combination of the power of a desktop inside a big, beautiful screen." AIO use laptop derivative low power components. They have the power of a good laptop -> nowhere near a serious desktop.
  • 0 Hide
    fokka , March 19, 2014 7:37 PM
    i'm not going to lug around my 10kg 27" aio, at least not on a daily basis that would necessite a ugly handle.i was intrigued by the headline since i'd love intel to do for aios what it did for laptops/ultrabooks: setting the trend for beautiful, sleek but well performing machines with good screens and build quality.looking at the windows-aio market there is a lot of room for improvement.but setting the priority on portability makes me cringe a little when i think of ugly slabs like asus? sony's? plastic-clad 20-incher.but to each their own i guess.
  • Display all 13 comments.
  • 0 Hide
    RazberyBandit , March 19, 2014 8:25 PM
    Intel wants to change the PC, again. I think the BTX form-factor was actually a better idea in regard to consumer PCs than making "more powerful" AIOs. Besides, don't high-end Two-in-Ones already cover the target market for such devices?
  • 1 Hide
    NeatOman , March 19, 2014 9:12 PM
    No one wants to move something large... Hell! Most people that have a 17" laptop never move them out of a room!, you never see people moving a 20" TV around the house. Its really sad how people get paid for bullshit, they suck at there job and put other people down only because they bullshit and are full of it and this is the end result. Unless its 24", 3.5 lbs, and has a 4 hour battery with a handle and latch for the keyboard, thennn mayyyybe lol
  • 2 Hide
    KosherGrimace , March 19, 2014 9:27 PM
    Apparently Intel were told they moved their PCs, but weren't told it was just to the other side of the room.
  • 2 Hide
    Jaroslav Jandek , March 20, 2014 2:44 AM
    Quote:
    i'm not going to lug around my 10kg 27" aio...
    Quote:
    ...Unless its 24", 3.5 lbs, and has a 4 hour battery with a handle and latch for the keyboard, thennn mayyyybe lol
    You should look at Intel's pAIO specification. It clearly states maximum weight (4.5 kg) for 18-27" screen and about 3 hours battery life.
  • 0 Hide
    rwinches , March 20, 2014 5:46 AM
    Reincarnation of the Compaq 286 luggable now with a battery.
  • 0 Hide
    spookyman , March 20, 2014 7:15 AM
    I have an old Osborne 1 Luggable from the early 80s.
  • 0 Hide
    red77star , March 20, 2014 10:02 AM
    Intel is trying to help Microsoft selling crap called Windows 8.1 which only fits into devices nobody wants called PC AIO. I have news for Intel and Microsoft, ain't going to work.
  • 1 Hide
    Menigmand , March 20, 2014 11:45 AM
    They are going the wrong direction with this. Give me an option to buy an AIO with decent CPU and GPU, and I would be interested. But this kind of tablet computer seems the worst from tablets, laptops and desktops all rolled into one.
  • 0 Hide
    RedJaron , March 20, 2014 11:49 AM
    Should have dropped the "r" and called them Blackbooks to match their Ultrabook terminology.At first I thought this could be a cool idea, but surely the 17" power laptop already has this niche covered, right? Unless you REALLY need that 24" screen and full keyboard.
  • 0 Hide
    greghome , March 20, 2014 4:59 PM
    I thought Lenovo has already done theses with their Horizon and Flex Desktops ?
  • -1 Hide
    Max_x2 , March 20, 2014 5:33 PM
    Quote:
    Intel is trying to help Microsoft selling crap called Windows 8.1 which only fits into devices nobody wants called PC AIO. I have news for Intel and Microsoft, ain't going to work.
    I'm so tired to see people like you who probably never bothered to try to understand / can't understand how it works because they are too stupid, still yapping about windows 8/8.1. Just stick with your old, crappy, outdated windows95-like interface. Nobody gives a single solitary fuck.