FEBRUARY 2019 PCWorld 83Remember, Intel originally
launched (go.pcworld.com/
ulun) an ultra-low voltage
version of the 2nd-gen Intel
Core processors, then the
ultrabook platform. And yes,
some of the first Athena
notebooks debuting in 2019
will be based on “Ice Lake,”
(go.pcworld.com/ilcr) the
10nm architecture that Intel
formally debuted at CES.
(Thunderbolt 3, Wi-Fi 6, and
Gen 11 graphics all made an
appearance.) Ice Lake is based
on the Sunny Cove architecture
(go.pcworld.com/sncv), Newman confirmed,
expected to bring with it significant
performance improvements.
But Project Athena isn’t specifically
designed for Ice Lake. Instead, it’s built for
the ongoing generations of Intel low-power
U- and Y-series processors. They’re being
designed into specific PC platforms through
partnerships with Intel engineers and
members of the PC design teams. And if that
sounds familiar, it should: the HP Spectre
Folio was also engineered collaboratively
(go.pcworld.com/fltm), and you’ll see the
same partnerships extended to other
premium designs across the industry. There’s
even a Project Athena certification process,
though that will eventually adopt a more
formal brand name.
Here’s Intel’s promotional video on how it
sees Project Athena (go.pcworld.com/atha).HERE’S WHAT PROJECT
ATHENA WILL DO FOR YOU
Intel and its partners already have a plan in
place for Athena devices, along with some
early numbers and specs to guide their
development. One example: the company has
ruled out laptops 9mm and thinner, since they
don’t offer the volume to include a sizable
battery. Laptop designs with fans can be 15mm
thick, and so on. But the goals of Project
Athena are much more holistic in nature.
“It accomplishes three things, three key
experiences that we can deliver on the
laptop,” Newman said of Project Athena’s
overarching mission. “One is a better abilityThough the HP Spectre Folio wasn’t explicitly described as a
Project Athena device, it’s representative of the collaboration
between Intel and its PC partners.