Intel says hardware bargains to multiply this fall: $99 tablets, $299 Haswell laptops, $349 2-in-1 hybrids

Intel chief executive Brian Krzanich said he expects bargains galore this holiday season as computermakers take advantage of the latest Intel Haswell and Bay Trail microprocessors. Krzanich said he expects $99 tablets, $299 Haswell laptops, and $349 2-in-1 hybrid tablets and laptops.

Speaking in a conference call today with analysts, Krzanich said that touchscreen-based laptops based on Haswell processors, which have twice the graphics capability and 50 percent better battery life than previous versions, will be the mainstay of holiday PC offerings. For devices with Bay Trail chips, there will be eight to 10 models available in clamshell devices at around $299.

“We continue to see touch adoption come along,” Krzanich.

Earlier, today Intel reported that it beat earnings expectations for revenues and profits as overall revenues grew 5 percent in the third quarter, thanks to both healthy data center revenue and the launch of Haswell-based laptops and portables.

Intel’s earnings are a bellwether for the computing industry. That industry has been mixed as PC sales drop in the face of competition from smartphones and tablets.

Intel said that revenue was $13.48 billion in the third quarter, up 5 percent from the previous quarter and roughly flat compared to $13.46 billion a year earlier. Net income was 58 cents a share, up 49 percent from the previous quarter and flat with a year ago. Analysts were expecting earnings per share of 53 cents and revenue of $13.47 billion.

During the quarter, Intel shipped its Haswell-based low-power chips, or fourth-generation Core processors, for laptops, all-in-ones, and hybrid 2-in-1 computers. Data center revenue was $2.9 billion, up 12 percent in the quarter compared to a year ago. PC Client Group revenue was $8.4 billion, up 3.5 percent sequentially and down 3.5 percent from a year ago.