Intel launches new mobile processors
Intel has launched 12 new mobile processors, ranging from its fastest mobile chip yet to the first .13 micron version of its...
The new offerings are split between versions of Intel's high-end mobile chip, the Pentium III processor-M, which was formerly known as Tualatin, and its value-priced Celeron chips. The company also launched two new versions of its 830 chip-set featuring integrated graphics controllers, said Frank Spindler, vice-president and general manager of Intel's Mobile Platforms Group, on 28 September.
The new chips are aimed at the mini-notebook, sub-notebook and tablet PC categories. "We are seeing good, solid growth in these segments as the world shifts to and desires even smaller notebook systems," Spindler said. "The Pentium III mobile is now going to give us a huge boost in performance capability in these types of systems."
In the 0.13-micron Pentium III processor-M family, Intel launched its fastest mobile processor yet at 1.2GHz, just slightly faster than the 1.13GHz version launched in July. The 1.2GHz offering has a 133MHz front-side bus, which allows it to use PC133 SDRAM.
Two other processors run at 800MHz, one with a 133MHz front-side bus and one with a 100MHz front-side bus. Intel also launched a 733MHz chip with a 133MHz front-side bus and a 750MHz chip with a 100MHz front-side bus.
There are two versions of some chips. While both have the same clock speed, the difference is the speed of the path between the processor and the system's memory. Traditionally, they have featured identical pricing. Although it offers lower performance, the 100MHz version of the bus allows the processor to run with slightly less expensive RAM.
Intel also announced the low-voltage 700MHz Pentium III processor-M, which runs at less than 0.5 watts, the lowest power consumption of any mobile offering from the company.
The new processors show Intel focusing more on lowering power consumption, compared to previously, when their focus was on performance.
Six new Celeron processors are also to be launched this week, including the first Celeron made using a 0.13-micron manufacturing process, which allows elements of a chip to be more tightly packed than with earlier processes. That chip is a low-voltage 650MHz processor. New versions of Celeron chips will run at 933MHz, 900MHz, 866MHz, 800MHz and 733MHz. Previously, the fastest mobile Celeron ran at 850MHz.
All Celeron offerings have a 133MHz front-side bus except for the 650MHz and 900MHz versions, which feature the 100MHz front-side bus.
There are also two new versions of the 830 chip-set, which feature integrated graphics controllers. The new offerings are the 830MG, which is a low-cost version of the chip-set, targeted at low-cost systems, and the 830M, which is the high-performance version.
The 830M offers a 118% increase in graphics performance from the 815 chip-set, Spindler said. "I think we'll see the first system introductions [using the chip-sets] during October, then another wave in the beginning part of next year," he added.
PCs using the new processors are available in the US from 1 October, with prices ranging from $75 (£51) to $722 (£490). Prices are all in 1,000-unit quantities, a standard measurement for chips.
