Intel unveils 10 new dual-core products

Stan Beer
Thursday, 27 July 2006 11:37

Your IT - Home IT

Semiconductor market leader Intel has thrown down the gauntlet to its ankle biting rival AMD, unveiling 10 new processors spanning its Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme range for consumer and business desktop and laptop PCs.

AMD has managed to steal much of the limelight from Intel over the past week with massive price cuts, the US$5.4 billion ATI acquisition and the announcement of a cut price double dual-core 4x4 package.

However, earlier this month gave the media a preview of its new Core 2 Extreme high performance processors and almost universally impressed them with demonstrably superior performance benchmarks. Evidence that AMD was spooked was apparent when it immediately reacted with price cuts of up to 57%.

Natuarlly Intel CEO Paul Otellini waxed lyrical about his company's new star performers.

“The Core 2 Duo processors are simply the best processors in the world,” said Otellini. “Not since Intel introduced the Pentium processor has the industry seen the heart of the computer reinvented like this. The Core 2 Duo desktop processor is an energy-efficient marvel, packing 291 million transistors yet consuming 40% lower power, while delivering the performance needed for the applications of today and tomorrow.”

According to Intel, the highly anticipated processor family already has very broad support with more than 550 customer system designs underway -- the most in Intel’s history.

The Intel Core 2 Duo processors are built using 65-nanometre silicon process technology. The desktop PC version of the processors also provide up to a 40% increase in performance and are more than 40% more energy efficient versus Intel’s previous best processor.

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. The Intel Core 2 Duo processor are also aimed at the technical workstation market.   

Pricing and Availability

Intel has been shipping production-ready Intel Core 2 Duo processors for all segments in advance of today’s unveiling. Initial Intel Core 2 Extreme processor-based systems are now available from system manufacturers, resellers and integrators, including Intel Channel Partner Program members. 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.

 

Desktop Processors                                  Frequency             Bus Speed       L2 Cache   Price

Intel Core 2 Extreme processor X6800                2.93 GHz              1066            4MB        US$999

Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6700                    2.66 GHz              1066            4MB        US$530

Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6600                    2.40 GHz              1066            4MB        US$316

Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6400                    2.13 GHz              1066            2MB        US$224

Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6300                    1.86 GHz              1066            2MB        US$183

 

Mobile Processors                      Frequency            Bus Speed          L2 Cache         Voltage

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7600       2.33 GHz             667                4MB              1.0375 – 1.3 V

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7400       2.16 GHz             667                4MB              1.0375 – 1.3 V

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7200       2.00 GHz             667                4MB              1.0375 – 1.3 V

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5600       1.83 GHz             667                2MB              1.0375 – 1.3 V

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5500       1.66 GHz             667                2MB              1.0375 – 1.3 V