Core 2 Duo, Intel's Upcoming Next-Generation Processor Codename

Intel has finally announced the name for its upcoming next-generation processor - Core 2 Duo, abandoning other codenames such as Conroe (the desktop version) and Merom (the notebook version).

In order to distinguish between the Conroes and the Meroms, Intel will insert numbers at the end of each chip name between the 4000s to 6000s for Conroe processors, and the 5000s to 7000s for Merom, increasing the digits depending on the speed.

The Core 2 Duo processors will be launched in the third quarter of this year in five versions, starting with the 4200 model at 1.6GHz, up to the fastest 6700 model at 2.66GHz.

Intel has again incorporated power consumption data into its processor model numbers, by adding a new letter prefix - "E" - for processors that consume between 55 and 75 watts.

Current Core processor numbers use the "T" prefix for 25-49W range, the "L" prefix for the 15-24W range, and the "U" prefix for 14W and below. So the new "E" prefix will be positioned above the "T" prefix to denote the highest power consumption levels.