Intel's Atom line of low-energy, low-cost mobile processors has long been known for powering tablets and phones with solid performance and long battery life.

Codenamed Bay Trail-T, the current, 22-nanometer line of Atom chips for tablets impressed us with benchmark scores that were 2 to 3 times higher than that of its predecessor when it launched in 2013.

Now, Intel is leaping forward with a new generation that is mostly based on its 14nm Cherry Trail architecture and divided into three distinct sub-brands -- Atom x3 for phones and connected tablets, and Atom x5 and Atom x7 for mainstream tablets.

Like the Intel Core series, which uses the Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 labels, the new Atom nomenclature is designed to help consumers distinguish between the "good, better or best" CPUs in the line. 

Designed for devices that cost under $150, including low-end phones for developing markets, the entry-level Atom x3 series uses a 28nm SoFIA architecture that's less powerful than its siblings, but provides built-in 3G or LTE connectivity.

Atom x3 comes in 3 different SKUs, starting with the dual-core x3-C3130, which runs at a mere 1-GHz and can only support displays with up to 1280 x 800 resolutions. The x3-3230RK has four cores and runs up to 1.2-GHz while supporting displays as sharp as 1920 x 1080, but, like the C3130, only connects at 3G. The higher-end x3-C3440 features an LTE radio and four cores that can run at up to 1.4-GHz while outputting at 1080p.

I had the chance to handle an Atom x3 reference design phone from Intel, and found its 720p picture sharp and its UI smooth as I swiped through the icons. With low-cost, ARM-powered phones from big brands like Samsung and Lenovo selling for under $50 in Asia, the x3 is Intel's attempt to break into that market.

Despite its low price, the Atom x3 chip has reasonable performance. According to Intel's benchmarks, the x3 was 1.8 times faster than Qualcomm's 1.2-GHz, quad-core MSM812 CPU when running through a series of light media editing tasks such as running filters on photos.

The Atom x5 series is the mainstream member of the family, with a 14nm Cherry Trail architecture that powers devices ranging from $150 to $350. It is available in two SKUs: the 1.84-GHz Atom x5-8300 and 2.24-GHz Atom x5-8500, with the former supporting up to 1920 x 1200 displays and the latter capable of 2560 x 1600 internally or 4K2K on external displays.

There's only one Atom x7 SKU, the x7-8700, which runs at up to 2.4-GHz on its 14nm architecture but otherwise offers similar specs to the x5-8500. Intel expects x7-powered tablets to cost more than $350. According to Intel, the Atom x7 should offer double the graphics performance of Bay Trail-T CPUs on some applications.

During his Mobile World Congress press conference, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich showed off a Cherry Trail-powered tablet running a driving game very smoothly. He also pointed to a number of Cherry Trail reference designs from Intel and ODM partners such as ASUS and Malata. 

Though we don't have a list of shipping tablets with Atom x5 or x7 in them, we'll probably see some later in the year. The Atom x3 phones are more likely to appear in developing countries than in the U.S.