Core 2 Duo Details Finalizing
May 31, 2006 at 06:14:00 AM, by Thai Tan
As the Merom launch date creaps closer, details on the new processor are becoming more clear.
Intel's Merom processor is coming soon, and it looks like all of the details are finalized.
Officially dubbed the "Core 2 Duo," the Merom processor will make its debut this August as a replacement/option over the existing Yonah CPU. As we've covered lately, Merom will start out as a drop-in addition to the 945 chipset based Napa platform and later transition to a whole new platform, dubbed Santa Rosa. While the initial Merom processors are pin-compatible with the Napa platform and most notebooks will requires a BIOS update, the "Merom+" models on the Santa Rosa platform will use the new Socket P. We have a quick reference of Intel mobile chipsets below, but as we reported previously Santa Rosa will bring a new wireless card which supports 802.11n, a new and more powerful integrated graphics chip, more port connectivity options, and the new dynamic FSB power saving technology.
Intel 855GM | Intel 855GME | Intel 915GM | Intel 945GM | "Crestline" | |
| FSB | 400MHz | 400MHz | 400/533MHz | 533/667MHz | 667/800MHz |
| Memory | DDR266 | DDR333 | DDR333/DDR2-533 | DDR2-533/667 | DDR2-533/667 |
| External bus | AGP 4x | AGP 4x | PCI-E x16 | PCI-E x16 | PCI-E x16 |
| Integrated Graphics Core Clock | 200MHz | 250MHz | 333MHz | 250MHz | 400MHz |
| Shader Support | N/A | N/A | SM2 | SM2 | SM3/SM4 |
| Integrated Graphics Pipelines | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| DirectX Support | DX7 | DX7 | DX9 | DX9 | DX9/10 |
| Platform Name | Carmel | Carmel | Sonoma | Napa | Santa Rosa |
Intel mobile chipsets past, present, and future
DailyTech recently got a look at a new Intel roadmap, spelling out the latest in Intel's mobile plans. Pricing and specifications have been known on Merom for quite some time, but take a recap below:
| Core 2 Duo Model | Clock Speed | FSB | L2 Cache | Launch Time | Price |
| T7600 | 2.33GHz | 667MHz | 4MB | Q3-06 | $637 |
| T7400 | 2.16GHz | 667MHz | 4MB | Q3-06 | $423 |
| T7200 | 2.0GHz | 667MHz | 4MB | Q3-06 | $294 |
| T5600 | 1.83GHz | 667MHz | 2MB | Q3-06 | $240 |
| T5500 | 1.66GHz | 667MHz | 2MB | Q4-06 | $209 |
| L7400 (Low Voltage) | ? | 667MHz | ? | Q1-07 | ? |
| L7200 (Low Voltage) | ? | 667MHz | ? | Q1-07 | ? |
| U7500 (Ultra Low Voltage) | ? | 533MHz? | ? | Q2-07 | ? |
Image Courtesy DailyTech.com (Enlarge Image)
You will also notice some new players here. The T5600 and T5500 are new models to the Core 2 Duo lineup. The T5500 is the most important piece here, bringing Core 2 Duo prices to a mere $209 for this 1.66GHz processor. This will help keep Core 2 Duo systems in the mainstream pricing that Core Duo has achieved of late. The cost reduction is possible due to the smaller amount of L2 cache, down to 2MB from 4MB. Also appearing in the roadmap, we have new Low Voltage and Ultra Low Voltage processors. These chips can run at lower voltages to save on battery; in most cases the Low Voltage series run at similar clock speeds as the regular models, allowing for a powerful and truly power efficient processor.
Were we to hazard a guess on the Low Voltage models, we would guess the L7400 is a 2.0GHz part and the L7200 runs at 1.83GHz. Intel's current Yonah Low Voltage processors run at one clock speed bump below its normal voltage equivalent rating. For instance, the current T2300 and L2400 run at 1.66GHz, despite the L2400 having a higher numeric rating. If Intel keeps to this with Merom, the L7400 and L7200 should play out as we've predicted. While a 2GHz Low Voltage processor may seem hard to swallow, Intel has plenty of time to refine their 65nm processor before those are released and it is certainly not out of the question.
The Yonah-based Core Duo T2700 at 2.33GHz is still going to be launched on June 25th, providing a unique overlap of technology. Core Duo and Core 2 Duo processors will be in the mainstream throughout 2H-06, both being able to be used in the same notebooks (with a BIOS update), and both at similar price points (for now). It will be very interesting to see how manufacturers phase in the different processors, and at what price points. With Core Duo notebooks being had for well under $1000 now, Core 2 Duo might become the "premium" dual core notebook to have.
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