View this article at: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/02/18/next_gen_intel_notebook_chips_to_exceed_3_0ghz.html
Monday, February 18, 2008 @ 10:00am
Monday, February 18, 2008 @ 10:00am
Next-gen Intel notebook chips to exceed 3.0GHz
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.
