14 DAY TRIAL // The latest leaked information on Intel codename Penryn CPUs reveal that the chip giant intends to release 6MB L2 cache versions for the notebook platforms as soon as Q1 2008.
Rumors have it that, with Penryn's 45nm architecture, the mobile market will see the introduction of improved Core 2 Extreme mobile gaming chips. Previous Intel roadmaps present 65nm mobile gaming chips as debuting in Q3 2007 with the 2.6GHz X7800, followed in Q4 by the 2.8GHz X7900. The 45nm Penryn architecture will further improve things, providing an updated X7900. Surprising enough, the Penryn version appears to have the same model number as the 65nm model, which could be translated into little to no performance increase. If this fact turns out to be true, Intel will probably recommend these CPUs for their power-consumption advantages rather than for improved overall performance. The price-tags will shed some more light on this issue.
Further analyzing the leaked roadmap, one could spot Penryn versions of the 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo T7700 and the 2.6GHz Core 2 Duo T7800, which will be released in Q4 and Q3, respectively. The roadmap also lists the Core 2 Duo Penryn versions under the heading 'Penryn 6M', implying that the 45nm mobile CPUs could incorporate 6MB of L2 cache.
Penryn aside, the roadmap surprisingly presents no Celerons in Q2 2008, but until then, we should be receiving a 1.73GHz 530 version in Q2 2007, the announced Santa Rosa-ready 1.86GHz 540 version in Q3 and the 2GHz 550 version in Q4. These three CPUs are based on the Merom architecture. There's even a 930MHz Celeron ULV 523 in Q3 2007, which should be replacing the Yonah 1.2GHz 443 existing version. As we can see, Intel's lowering the clocks may not affect the performance, as the new CPUs incorporate an improved architecture.