One of the stipulations of the FTC's anti-competitive practices settlement with Intel was that the chip-giant wouldn't be able to limit or remove the PCIe bus on any CPUs in a way that would hinder GPU performance. This didn't originally include the MID/tablet-focused Oak Trail platform, but when it was revealed that manufacturers were considering it for use in netbooks, the exclusion was revoked.
After further negotiations, the Commission has now agreed to allow the exception to stand, allowing Oak Trail to ship without support for PCIe. While this means that next-generation tablets and netbooks will be forced to rely on the integrated GPU, it's unlikely to have much of an impact, since the vast majority of these devices wouldn't ship with discrete graphics anyway. It should also help to lower power-consumption by decreasing the number of components on the chip.
The immunity isn't absolute, though. Intel will only be able to ship Oak Trail chips without PCIe support until the middle of 2013. The settlement also stipulates that the platform can only be marketed or sold to manufacturers intending to use it in fanless netbooks up until the end of 2012.
The new platform will comprise the Lincroft CPU and Whitney Point PCH and be marketed as the Atom Z600-series - a direct replacement for the ageing Silverthorne CPUs. While there haven't been any specific announcements, there has been a lot of buzz from tablet OEMs who are apparently clamouring to get their hands on the new silicon. Improved performance, significantly lower power-usage and the ability to run Windows 7, Android and MeeGo have many parties excited about integrating this chip into next-generation tablets.
More information is expected when Oak Trail devices launch at CES in the new year.
