Intel to Sign the Death Sentence for Nine Mobile Processors

Penryns are slowly, but firmly claiming their place into the new notebook systems, so Intel decided to retire no less than nine mobile CPUs, namely seven Core 2 Duo chips built on the Merom core and two Celeron M processors.

According to a product change notification, the first chips that will enter the discontinuance program will be the Celeron M 520 and 530 models. Intel will stop taking orders for them starting May 26 but will continue to supply the markets with them until January 26 2009.

The next in line awaiting termination will be the T7600, T7400, T7200, T5600 and T5500, as well as their low-voltage counterparts also known as LV7400 and LV7200. The Core 2 Duo chips can also be ordered until May 2008. The T7400 and LV L7400 versions are to be found until July 27, 2009, while the T7400 and LV L7400 will be retired earlier, on July 26 the next year.

Intel is currently working on a few updates to the first desktop quad-core built with the 45-nanometer technology, the 3.0GHz Core 2 Extreme QX9650. The processor is due to be releases later during this quarter with a new silicon stepping (the C1). The processor has been slated for unveiling on March the 3rd, and the C1 stepping version will feature new SSPEC and MM numbers, as well as a new CPUID: 0x00010677.

The other specifications of the refurbished Core 2 Extreme QX9650 remain identical to those in the C0 version. The QX9650 is based on Intel's cutting-edge 45-nanometer technology with hafnium-infused circuitry. This allows the CPU to perform much better and, at the same time, cut down the power requirements. The CPU will feature 12 MB of total L2 cache and a front side bus of 13330 MHz. However, motherboard manufacturers will have to either release new BIOS versions, or at least BIOS patches for their motherboards to fully support Intel's quad-core stallion.