Graphics on your new Intel Core CPU

You may have heard of Intel’s new 32-nanometre Core CPUs (codenamed Clarkdale and Arrandale), when they were launched as part of a big CES bonanza last month.

But seeing these “mainstream” processors, especially with their new onboard graphics power, in action is another thing.

At a road show here at Dempsey Road here yesterday, the Intel folks in Singapore showed off systems running the dual- and quad-core Clarkdale chips for desktops, as well as the dual-core Arrandale chips for notebooks.

The big promise on these mid-end chips, which come in mobile, desktop and embedded formats, is the HD graphics capability onboard. And I was quite surprised by the performance. …