“Intel Corp. is preparing to make a splash early next year when it officially launches its next-generation dual-core ‘Yonah’ notebook processors, which will initially debut at a top speed of 2.16GHz dual-core,” Prince McLean reports for AppleInsider. “The world’s largest microprocessor maker plans to introduce two versions of Yonah: a single core version running at 1.66GHz and dual-core versions in 1.66GHz, 1.83GHz, 2.0GHz, and 2.16GHz. The company will reportedly market the chips as Centrino ‘Solo Core’ and ‘Duo Core’ processors.”
“The Yonah processors, which are widely expected to power the first wave of Apple laptops and consumer desktops, will each sport a 667MHz font-side-bus (FSB) and 2MB Level 2 cache. A faster version of Yonah due by the middle of next year will reportedly increase the chip’s top speed to 2.3GHz,” McLean reports. “Yonah will offer several improvements over Intel’s previous generation Pentium M chips based on the Dothan core. One of the most significant improvements Yonah has over Dothan is its dual-core nature. However, since Yonah is based on Intel’s new 65nm process, a dual-core Yonah die is about the same size as a single core Dothan die. This allows Intel to manufacture a dual-core Yonah at approximately the same cost as a single-core Dothan.”
McLean reports, “In a recent series of business-oriented and multimedia benchmark tests, AnandTech compared a pre-production dual-core 2.0GHz Yonah processor to a 2.0GHz Dothan-based Pentium M 760, as well as three AMD Athlon 64 X2 processors ranging in speeds from 2.0GHz to 2.2GHz… ‘Our initial analysis still holds true, that for a notebook processor, [Yonah] will be nothing short of amazing for professionals. Looking at the performance improvements offered everywhere from media encoding to 3D rendering, you’re going to be able to do a lot more on your notebook than you originally thought possible (without resorting to a 12-pound desktop replacement),’ AnandTech wrote in summarizing Yonah’s performance. ‘The one thing that Intel’s [Yonah] seems to be able to do very well is to truly bridge the gap between mobile and desktop performance, at least in thin and light packages.'”
“As first reported by AppleInsider sources in November, Apple hopes to be one of — if not the first — PC maker to introduce systems based on Yonah when it shows the first Intel Macs at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco during the second week of January,” McLean reports. “Already the game is heating up, with NEC this week revealing details of its first Yonah laptops without getting into the specifics of the Yonah processors that will power the machines. Not to be outdone, Dell in Frebuary will reveal a slew of new laptops based on Yonah, including a full range of Precision M90, Lattitude D620 and Lattitude D820 models, according to a recent report. Intel is expected to formally unveil Yonah along with its ‘Viiv’ media center technology during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) which kicks-off on Jaunary 5th, just days before Apple chief executive Steve Jobs will appear before a Macworld Expo crowd to introduce the company’s latest consumer products.”
More info and links in the full article here.
Advertisements:
• The New iPod with Video. The ultimate music & video experience on the go. From $299. Free shipping.
• Connect iPod to your television set with the iPod AV Cable. Just $19.00.
• The New iMac G5. Built-in camera and remote control. From $1299. Free shipping.
• Apple USB Modem. Easily connect to the Internet using your dial-up service. $49.00.
Related articles:
Move to Intel-based Macs one of the most important switches Apple has ever made – December 22, 2005
RUMOR: New Intel-based iBook, Mac mini models to debut at Macworld along with new iPod shuffles – December 19, 2005
Intel’s Yonah demo shows TiVo-like features buoying rumors of Apple Mac mini digital hub with DVR – December 14, 2005
Intel’s Napa chip bound for Apple PowerBook, iBook? – December 14, 2005
Report: Intel to debut ‘Yonah’ processor on January 6th – December 12, 2005
It’s official: Apple CEO Steve Jobs to deliver Macworld San Francisco 2006 keynote address – December 01, 2005
Intel: no comment on Apple participating in ‘Viiv’ entertainment platform – November 30, 2005
UBS: Apple to unveil Intel-based Mac mini in January; AAPL share price target raised to $74 – November 07, 2005
Apple patent application describes Intel-based Macs that run Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows – November 05, 2005
RUMOR: Apple’s Intel-based Macs coming in first quarter 2006 – November 04, 2005
Intel to renovate desktop processor line in 2006 with transition from 90 nm to 65 nm (Yonah) – July 15, 2005
Apple-bound Intel ‘Yonah’ processor prices revealed – June 09, 2005
Analysts think ‘Yonah’ Pentium M may power Apple’s first Intel-based Mac – June 08, 2005
Apple to use Intel microprocessors beginning in 2006, all Macs to be Intel-based by end of 2007 – June 06, 2005
AMD is not a option, they can’t produce the volume and Apple would be hobbled just like it was under IBM.
Apple is at war with M$ over operating systems market share, the processor war was over when IBM decided not to take the G5 to laptops and focus on making stupid Cell chips and other gaming processors.
IBM doesn’t think there is a future in computers anymore. That’s why they sold their PC division.
MacDude:
I think you hit it right on the head.
IBM doesn’t want to make the investment or the time to make G5 chips.
DO you think the overheating problems we’re hearing about XBox is due to the heat generated by the G5 chips. It might mean that IBM couldn’t port the G5 to portables any time soon, despite the PR they let lose after Apple announced the switch to Intel.