Intel rolls out world's fastest 2-GHz processor for notebooks
Semiconductor Business News
(06/23/02 15:13 p.m. EST)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Hoping to jumpstart the slumping computer industry, Intel Corp. here today announced the world's fastest microprocessor for notebook PCs--a 2-GHz chip built around its Pentium 4 MPU architecture.
The Santa Clara-based company also rolled out a 1.9-GHz version of its mobile Pentium 4 processor line, while announcing 1.33-, 1.4-, and 1.5-GHz models of its Celeron family of MPUs for lower-cost notebook PCs.
The processors represent Intel's fastest mobile chips to date. Previously, the company offered a 1.8-GHz mobile Pentium 4 processor for the high-end notebook computer market.
The new products are also part of Intel's ongoing efforts to maintain “performance leadership” in the notebook PC space, said Anand Chandrasekher, vice president and general manager of the Mobile Platforms Group at Intel.
The chip giant hopes to keep the performance lead over its competitors, including Advanced Micro Devices Inc. and Transmeta Corp. But Intel is also rolling out its new chips, amid a difficult time for the company and the PC industry as a whole.
Earlier this month, Intel lowered its forecast for the second quarter of 2002, due to sluggish demand in the PC market (see June 6 story ). And last week, rival AMD also made a similar announcement concerning weak PC demand (see June 18 story ).
But the demand for notebook PCs remains relatively strong amid the slowdown, Chandrasekher said during a press briefing on Friday. “In general, I am very surprised by the uptake on notebooks,” he said, noting that China and other markets remain a strong market in the mobile space.
In what could be a move to jumpstart the overall computer market, Intel rolled out five new processors, including the world's first 2-GHz chip for notebooks.
Based on its Pentium 4 processor architecture, the Intel Pentium 4 Processor-M is a 1.2/1.3-Volt chip that consists of 512-KB of cache and a 400-MHz bus. It consumes less than 2 Watts of power.
The chip sells for $637 and comes in a Micro FCPGA package. The 1.9-GHz version has similar features and sells for $401. Meanwhile, Intel also announced 1.33-, 1.4-, and 1.5-GHz versions of its Celeron line, which sell for $134, $149, and $170, respectively. All prices are quoted in 1,000-piece lots. |
