10 things you need to know about Intel's new Broadwell chips

3D cameras, 4K graphics and biometric log-ins are some of the capabilities that Intel's fifth-generation Core chips will bring to new laptops later this month. The systems will also be thinner, faster and offer longer battery life.

But while the chips, based on Intel's Broadwell architecture, offer attractive features, the decision about whether to buy a new laptop will ultimately come down to need. If you want longer battery life or improved graphics, a laptop with a new Core chip is worth considering. But if you mostly use productivity applications like Word and Excel, the new laptops won't provide much more bang for your buck.

The new Core chips (code-named Broadwell U) will be an upgrade to Intel's existing fourth-generation Core chips, code-named Haswell. Due to a delay in shipping, the new chips are expected to have a shorter-than-expected life as Intel aggressively pushes Broadwell's successor, Skylake, which will bring wire-free computing capabilities to laptops in the second half of the year.