Intel 840 Pentium X to cost $1000

WHEN INTEL introduces its 840 PPXE dual core processor in the second quarter of this year, it will charge its original equipment manufacturers $999, according to the latest roadmaps seen by the INQ.

The 840 is a 3.2GHz hyperthreading enabled processor in the re-branded Extreme Edition family and comes with two times 1MB of cache, in the LGA 775 package.

And the latest roadmaps show Intel is sticking to its last on the 840, the 830 and the 820 microprocessors, which aren't enabled for hyperthreading, do have two sets of 1MB cache, and will cost $530, $315, and $240 respectively. These Intel will call the Pentium D - for Different, with a new logo to Distinguish them from the others.

These have 800MHz front side buses, like the 840 Pentium Extreme Edition - without the number four, you will note. Intel is now projecting the launch of its 670 Pentium 4, which is HT enabled, and clocks at 3.8GHz for the second quarter too, at a price of $850.

It is projecting price cuts for the 6XX family during the third quarter of this year, with the 670 falling to $600 or so then. Other 6XX members will also see a price drop in August.

Intel is also projecting the launch of its 351 Celeron processor in the second quarter, a 3.2GHz processor with a 533MHz bus and 256K cache, at just $125 or so, when you buy quantities of 1000. This is an EM64T component.

The Celerons will start being called Intel Celeron D for Different, too.

In the second quarter, Intel introduces the "Graphics Media Accelerator 950" chipset which comes with Intel PRO/1000 PM LAN. Virtualisation in the shape of VT is also slated for the second quarter, as Intel prepares to play the price and technology game with AMD.

The 840, the 830 and the 820 are projected to be Intel's top dual core processors right up until the end of this year. It is still projecting its 65 nanometre "Presler" shrink for the first quarter of next year. µ