Core 2 Duo is slowly evolving into quite a successful product. It's both a powerful and affordable CPU. And then there's the fact that it succeeded in turning the tables to INTEL's side after 2 years of AMD supremacy.

Take into account that there is still a large quantity of older NetBurst CPUs represented by the 900 series and only about 20% of the sales this year INTEL has made represent Core 2 Duo products. And there's also the problem of availability, since high priced Conroes are pretty rare. And you'd better remember this if you're planning to buy a new PC on Christmas, since you'll be lucky if you catch an Allendale CPU.

When it comes to future chipsets, it seems that INTEL has already figured out the recipe.
Salt Creek is the following chipset line coming from INTEL and will include several variations of the following products: X38 (Q3 2007) as the new high end chipset, P35 (Q2 2007) representing mainstream segment and G33/35 chipsets which will be value oriented. All chips will be built around the new ICH9 southbridge. X38 for example will be the first to introduce FSB 1333 and DDR3-1333. G33/35 line will have an integrated GPU with HDCP support and DirectX 10 features and will also use DDR3 rated at only 1066MHz. ICH9 means the disappearance of PATA connectors as well as integrating no less than 12 USB ports onboard among many other things.

The second quarter of 2008 will also bring the new 45nm line represented at first by the mobile Penryn line. That may sound a little far, but the fact that AMD is still struggling with 65nm CPU production should give INTEL all the time it needs.