“The Core 2 Duo processors are simply the best processors in the world,” said Paul Otellini, president and chief executive of Intel in a statement announcing the new chips. “Not since Intel introduced the Pentium processor has the industry seen the heart of the computer reinvented like this.”
Intel’s Core 2 Duo series includes system for servers, desktops and laptops. Systems based on the new desktop chips will begin in early August; “Merom” based notebooks will ship near the end of that month. Customers can purchase a high-end Core 2 Extreme system and have it shipped today, Intel said. C/Net has a review.
The five new Core 2 Duo mobile processors were announced Thursday: the 2.33-GHz T7600, the 2.16-GHz T7400, the 2.00-GHz T7200, the 1.83-GHz T5600, and the 1.66-GHz T5500. The T7XXX series contain 4 Mbytes of unified cache, while the T5xxx series contain just two. All of the Merom processors operate at between 1.0375 to 1.3 volts, and all of them use a 667-MHz bus speed.
Core 2 Duo will be the processor used by the servers and PCs that power the next generation of the Internet, declared Otellini. “Core 2 Duo is the growth engine for the next 500 million new Internet users,” he predicted. These new users will be more interested in video, multimedia, and games than their predecessors, and more interested in mobile devices with powerful processing capabilities.
| Intel’s Core2 Duo Mobile Processors | |||||
| Processor | Frequency | Bus Speed | L2 Cache | Voltage | |
| Intel® Core™2 Duo processor T7600 | 2.33 GHz | 667 | 4MB | 1.0375–1.3V | |
| Intel® Core™2 Duo processor T7400 | 2.16 GHz | 667 | 4MB | 1.0375–1.3V | |
| Intel® Core™2 Duo processor T7200 | 2.00 GHz | 667 | 4MB | 1.0375–1.3V | |
| Intel® Core™2 Duo processor T5600 | 1.83 GHz | 667 | 2MB | 1.0375–1.3V | |
| Intel® Core™2 Duo processor T5500 | 1.66 GHz | 667 | 2MB | 1.0375–1.3V | |
Because the Core 2 Duo processor uses 40% less electricity while yielding a 40% increase in performance, it is expected to find its way into new forms of computers.
Graphics chip-maker Nvidia demonstrated the movie-like quality video gamers will soon be able to immerse themselves in using Nvidia chips working with the Core 2 Duo-powered PCs.
Core 2 Duo is Intel’s next-generation MPU architecture, based on a 65-nm process. Conroe is for desktops, while Merom is for notebooks. Intel already launched Woodcrest, a Core 2 Duo chip for servers.
The Intel Core 2 Duo processor family consists of five desktop PC processors tailored for business, home, and enthusiast users, such as high-end gamers, and five mobile PC processors, “designed to fit the needs of a mobile lifestyle.”
The Core 2 Duo desktop processor, dubbed Conroe, is a 291- million transistor device. Intel says it consumes 40 percent lower power than previous products.
Fujitsu’s LifeBook N6400 series ($1700, right) will get a Core2 Duo bump in the 4th quarter. It features a 17-inch display with built-in subwoofer.
Intel Core 2 Duo desktop processor-based systems will be available beginning in early August. Intel Core 2 Duo processor-based notebooks will be available at the end of August. Intel Core 2 Extreme processor X6800 is priced at $999, Core 2 Duo processor E6700 is available at $530, E6600 at $316, E6400 at $224 and E6300 at $183.
Additional coverage on the launch is available at C/Net, TG Daily, ZDNet, EE Times, and Mercury News.
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