New Centrino chips from Intel

Intel today announced three new Pentium M processors and a new chipset that expand the Centrino platform.

The processors are manufactured using Intel's latest 90 nanometre fabrication technology using strained silicon. The new processors are similar in architecture to the previous generation Pentium M processors, but include a couple of architectural improvements, twice the L2 cache to 2MB and higher clock speeds up to 2GHz.

The processors are also the first Intel has launched with the new processor numbering sequence. The Pentium M 755 runs at 2GHz, down to 600MHz in low power mode; the Pentium M 745 runs at 1.8GHz down to 600MHz; and the Pentium M 735 is clocked at 1.7GHz down to 600MHz. All have a 400MHz front side bus and 2MB of power optimised L2 cache.

The new chips also use the same Micro FBPGA and Micro FCBGA connectors as used by the previous generation of Pentium M processors.

The new Intel 855GME chipset offers support for 2GB of DDR memory up to 333MHz, on-board Intel Extreme Graphics 2. Intel's PRO/Wireless Network Connection chip rounds out the Centrino package and comes in three flavours: 802.11b; 802.11a/b; and 802.11b/g.

The processor and chipset are also optimised for low power consumption. Intel claims a 10 percent performance increase using the Pentium M 755 with no reduction to battery life compared to the previous generation Pentium M 1.7GHz chip.