Intel readies 65 nano desktop chips for 1st of January

CHIP FIRM Intel is preparing desktop price cuts for the 1st of January 2006 as it readies the introduction of new 65 nanometre Pentium 4 microprocessors.

The early January launch will include the Presler 950, the 940, the 930 and the 920 at prices of $635, $423, $316 and $240. These chips clock at 3.4GHz, 3.2GHz, 3GHz and 2.8GHz, have 800MHz front side buses, 2x2MB cache and use the LGA775 socket, or plug as Intel calls it.

The 955 Extreme CPU will be released on the 15th of January 2006 - this has a 1066MHz front side bus and 2x2MB cache, clocking at 3.46GHz. As we report separately today, this chipolata will cost $999.

When Intel releases the 9XX family, it will drop prices on the 661, the 651, the 641 and the 631 in line with its usual phase outs. These will cost $400, $272, $220 and $178. This is because Intel will swiftly migrate the 6XX family to 65 nanometres, it has told its customers.

Chipzilla, as we reported the last round, will introduce a 3.33GHz Celeron (533FSB/256K cache) chip on Christmas Day at a price of $127. And it will lower the price of this chip a month later to $10 less, as it cuts prices on the 351, the 346, the 341, the 336 and the 331 Celerons. µ