Next-gen Intel notebook chips to exceed 3.0GHz
Intel this spring will launch its next-generation Centrino notebook platform alongside a half dozen new 45 nanometer mobile chips that will eventually make their way into Apple's MacBook and MacBook Pro offerings.
The platform, long referenced by its code-name "Montevina," will be officially dubbed Centrino 2 when it makes its debut at the Computex Taipei 2008 conference, which runs June 3 - 7, according to DigiTimes.
Although Intel has used the Centrino brand name for four generations of its notebook platforms -- Carmel, Sonoma, Napa and Santa Rosa -- the unchanging brand name has reportedly resulted in lower market recognition, as consumers are sometimes unable to identify the differences.
The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip maker hopes the new marketing strategy will "give consumers the feeling of a tangible upgrade and will hopefully spur replacement demand," according to the report.
It will simultaneously deliver six new 45-nanometer notebook processors, running at speeds between 2.26GHz - 3.06GHz, all of which will sport a 1066MHz front-side bus, compared to today's models which scale up to 2.6GHz and operate on an 800MHz bus.
In addition, DigiTimes reports that Intel will then launch seven new 45-nm small form factor processors, like those used in Apple's new MacBook Air, sometime during the third quarter of the year.
The introductions should provide Apple with a means to refresh its mainstream MacBook and MacBook Pro family of notebook systems sometime during the summer educational buying season, and its MacBook Air sub-notebook line in time for the holidays.
Meanwhile, MacBook Pro models including Intel's just-released 45-nanometer Penryn processors -- the last of the Santa Rosa generation -- remain on tap for a release anytime in the next few weeks.
The platform, long referenced by its code-name "Montevina," will be officially dubbed Centrino 2 when it makes its debut at the Computex Taipei 2008 conference, which runs June 3 - 7, according to DigiTimes.
Although Intel has used the Centrino brand name for four generations of its notebook platforms -- Carmel, Sonoma, Napa and Santa Rosa -- the unchanging brand name has reportedly resulted in lower market recognition, as consumers are sometimes unable to identify the differences.
The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip maker hopes the new marketing strategy will "give consumers the feeling of a tangible upgrade and will hopefully spur replacement demand," according to the report.
It will simultaneously deliver six new 45-nanometer notebook processors, running at speeds between 2.26GHz - 3.06GHz, all of which will sport a 1066MHz front-side bus, compared to today's models which scale up to 2.6GHz and operate on an 800MHz bus.
In addition, DigiTimes reports that Intel will then launch seven new 45-nm small form factor processors, like those used in Apple's new MacBook Air, sometime during the third quarter of the year.
The introductions should provide Apple with a means to refresh its mainstream MacBook and MacBook Pro family of notebook systems sometime during the summer educational buying season, and its MacBook Air sub-notebook line in time for the holidays.
Meanwhile, MacBook Pro models including Intel's just-released 45-nanometer Penryn processors -- the last of the Santa Rosa generation -- remain on tap for a release anytime in the next few weeks.
Comments
That Montevina announcement is pretty close to when WWDC will be...
What is up with 3GHz being a barrier in chip production? I know clock speed is not as important as it was 10 years ago, but it just seems that Intel is having problems similar to what IBM had several years ago.
It's not a barrier. Intel have no one pushing them. Intel's desktop chips easily overclock to 3.6 ghz. With no additional cooling.
When the core 2s were first released they hit 3 ghz. Intel needed a competitive product then to win back market share from AMD. Since then AMD have had nothing to challenge Intel and advances have slowed. Although in all fairness Intel have increased the number of cores to 4 per chip on the desktop and work station.
Since then AMD have had nothing to challenge Intel and advances have slowed.
Probably the ludicrous reason I've ever heard.
3 GHz in 2008
Probably the ludicrous reason I've ever heard.
You're right. I forgot to mention that the G5 hasn't hit 3 ghz yet either.
So Intel don't have IBM pushing them either.
What is up with 3GHz being a barrier in chip production? I know clock speed is not as important as it was 10 years ago, but it just seems that Intel is having problems similar to what IBM had several years ago.
Perhaps a little background homework and research is appropriate. At least, it is better than some of the responses you'll get here.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...trial_and.html
A better blogging site might be Intel' http://blogs.intel.com/research/
Hmm. I wonder what this does to Apple's release schedule. With the MBP they've averaged about 9 months between upgrades thus far. If they release a Penryn MBP soon and a Montevina in, say, July, there'd be gaps of just 7 and then 5 months, respectively. 5 months! One wonders if they'll just skip the current updates altogether and just wait till June...
God I hope not. Occasionally they have done quick updates, but on the other hand it would make sense. Apple used to be ahead of the game with processors. Although I would buy a MacBook Pro with a Penyrn processor, every other company already has them out, so what is the innovation from Apple? Would they be content just playing catch up?
Probably the ludicrous reason I've ever heard.
sometimes truth may be hard to digest ... no one is pushing intel ... already rumors are CPU delivery dealys are part of intel's part of slowing down the engine
IMO, this is the REAL penryn update. Montevina should be in every Mac except the Mac Pro:
2.40/2.53/2.80 MacBook Pro (25/35W)
2.26/2.53/3.06 iMac and a quad-core option later in the fall (25/35/45W)
2.26/2.40 MacBooks (25W-3MB)
2.26/2.40 Mac mini (25W-3MB)
1.60/1.86 MacBook Air (while I think Apple could only use the 1.86GHz cpu given the price difference $32).
Of course, other products could be released using the "S" small package series in the small notebooks/desktops area. But these chips are $75 more expensive than their P counterparts,
And yes, the initial launch of Montevina will be really close to the WWDC.
June: P, T, X series
Q3: SP, SL, SU, U, 723 series
sometimes truth may be hard to digest ... no one is pushing intel ... already rumors are CPU delivery dealys are part of intel's part of slowing down the engine
The second most ludicrous answer I've ever heard.
Perhaps a perusal through the Harvard Business School Working Knowledge will help direct you on the right path. Intel's, and a matter of fact, Apple's reference lectures are not there because of ridiculous business practices as you and some others so offer.
Do yourself a favor. Explore Intel's commitment to research, and the absolute and relative millions they like Apple, and AMD, spend to finance it.
The second most ludicrous answer I've ever heard.
Perhaps a perusal through the Harvard Business School Working Knowledge will help direct you on the right path. Intel's, and a matter of fact, Apple's reference lectures are not there because of ridiculous business practices as you and some others so offer.
Do yourself a favor. Explore Intel's commitment to research, and the absolute and relative millions they like Apple, and AMD, spend to finance it.
Are you nuts?
You think Intel is going to push forward when there is no competition?
The second most ludicrous answer I've ever heard.
Perhaps a perusal through the Harvard Business School Working Knowledge will help direct you on the right path. Intel's, and a matter of fact, Apple's reference lectures are not there because of ridiculous business practices as you and some others so offer.
Do yourself a favor. Explore Intel's commitment to research, and the absolute and relative millions they like Apple, and AMD, spend to finance it.
No one is questioning Intels commitment to research.
Do you really think that the highest clocking Penryn available would be 3.2 ghz if Barcelona was at 3 ghz?
You're right. I forgot to mention that the G5 hasn't hit 3 ghz yet either.
So Intel don't have IBM pushing them either.
Well, the G5 did go dual-core instead.
Cell (designed by IBM) has hit >6GHz though (in its 45nm incarnation) ... shame that the PPU is in-order, even if it can run two threads at the same time, as that limits its actual general purpose processing power.
(I imagine that means that the XBox360 CPU could hit 6GHz as well as it uses a very similar PPU core to Cell, apart from the fact that won't ever happen as the CPU has no use outside of the console)
These new mobile chips sound great though. I wouldn't mind a 3GHz 24" iMac or MacBook
Are you nuts?
You think Intel is going to push forward when there is no competition?
If you really think that there is no competition, I have some land in the Everglades for you.
Do you really think that Intel isn't aware of guys such as these; http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0112083626.htm or aren't researching such likewise themselves or in collaboration with others?
Do you really think that universities, even those who enjoy being the beneficiaries of Intel's (Worldwide) Research Grant Programs are solely exclusive to Intel?
You don't stay number one sticking your head in the sand.