Intel launches faster Pentium 4 chips
Intel has added four new chips to its line of Pentium 4 desktop processors, including the fastest model released by the company...
The company has also slashed the price of what previously was its fastest chip, the 2.53GHz Pentium 4, by 62%
The new additions to Intel's flagship processor lineup include 2.66GHz, 2.6GHz and 2.5GHz models alongside the top-end chip.
The 2.8GHz Pentium 4 costs $508 (£333) in quantities of 1,000, a standard pricing measure for chips, Intel said. The 2.66GHz and 2.6GHz models are both priced at $401 (£263) with the 2.5GHz chip priced at $243 (£159). The 2.8GHz Pentium 4 and the 2.66GHz Pentium 4 both employ a 533MHz front-side bus while the front-side bus used with the 2.6GHz and 2.5GHz chips runs at 400MHz. All four chips are manufactured using a 0.13-micron process.
The 533MHz front-side bus increases the bandwidth between the processor and the chipset in a PC, allowing more data to be moved back and forth and increasing performance.
Prior to the official announcement of its release, all four new Pentium 4 processors appeared for sale in Tokyo's Akhihabara district over the weekend.
The 62% price cut levied on the existing 2.53GHz Pentium 4 makes the chip cheaper than the 2.4GHz model, which remains priced at $400, and makes it comparable in cost to the 2.26GHz and 2.2GHz models.
Intel's announcement follows the release by rival processor maker Advanced Micro Devices of the new Athlon XP 2400+ and Athlon XP 2600+ processors.
