14 DAY TRIAL // The new Intel notebook platform, originally announced for launch at the Computex show, has been delayed for several reasons for today. Still, we will only see the platform designed for discrete GPUs, while the one with integrated graphics and Mobile WiMAX is expected in the following weeks. Intel says that the new processor will be highly used by mainstream laptop vendors like HP, Sony, Toshiba and others.
The new Montevina platform is said to be a 45nm Penryn processor, coupled with Intel's Mobile 4 Express chipset, Intel's GMA X4500 integrated graphics chip and a wireless module supporting both WiFi and WiMax. Still, while the 1066MHz front-side bus Penryn-based processors needed 35watt power to run, three of the new models will use only 25watts, and will also have the DDR-3 memory to feature faster and more power efficient memory access.
Let's have a closer look at the platform. First, we have an Intel Mobile 4 Express series chipset, formerly known as Cantiga (including GL40, GS45, GM45, GM47 or PM45), paired with Intel's GMA X4500 graphics technology and ICH9M southbridge, and offering a 1066MHz front side bus. The graphics core is said to be GM45/47, featuring a core clock of 533/640MHz and including ten unified shaders, two more than the GMA X3100 had.
The chipset will come with support for DDR2-667, DDR2-800, DDR3-800, DDR3-1066 and DDR3-1333 SO-DIMM memory modules. It will also contain the code-named Boazman Gigabit Ethernet LAN controllers 82567LM and 82567LF and the NAND flash-memory caching branded as Intel Turbo Memory. DisplayPort will have full support, and the motherboard will feature an external connector and support for HDMI, DVI, and VGA standards.
The second generation Intel Core 2 Duo 45nm processors will have core speeds ranging from 2.26GHz to 3.06GHz and will come with support for SSE4.1, adding 47 new instructions to SSSE3.
The Montevina chip is a fifth generation Centrino, and the first of the series to come with integrated support for WiMAX. The lid contains three antennas which allow connectivity through both WiFi (802.11n) and Mobile WiMAX (802.16e). The Montevina platform allows three types of connections, including the Echo Peak adapter, a WiFi/WiMAX Link 5150/5350 mini-PCIe, the Shiloh, an Intel WiFi Link 5100/5300 mini-PCIe adapter, and Dana Point, code-name for an add-on card WiMAX (802.16).
On top of these, if combined with built-in technologies for security and manageability features, the Montevina platform goes under the name of "Centrino 2 vPro".
