Intel looses Grantsdale, Alderwood, Pentiums and Celerons in launch bonanza

 

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By Alun Williams

Posted on 21 Jun 2004 at 12:30

A busy day for Intel - launching the new PCI Express, multimedia-supporting 915P, 915G and 925X chipsets, the 775 pin Pentium 4, debuting new model numbers and the arrival of the Celeron D chips with their cut-down version of the Prescott processor core.

The new, much heralded chipsets - codenamed 'Grantsdale' (915) and 'Alderwood' (925) - are Intel's third-generation desktop graphics core. They support PCI Express, DDR2 memory, High Definition (HD) video, 7.1 surround sound and the use of dual independent displays.

'Intel innovation is taking the PC through a significant evolution that opens up a broader set of new consumer uses,' said Louis Burns, VP and general manager of Intel Desktop Platforms Group. 'This evolution will help people to better enjoy digital music, photos, videos and games on PCs and other devices in and around the home. At the same time, the technologies we are introducing for the PC platform will help drive new uses that boost office productivity, such as simultaneously using multiple monitors with just one PC to work on and track several projects.'

The primary aim for Intel, however, is to provide better video and audio support for entertainment-focused PCs. With integrated graphics replacing the need for an add-in card, Intel is now positioning its graphics support as a mid-market offering, rather than just a budget option. 'We are not in the graphics card arms race, we know our place,' Joe Alvarez, an Intel Senior Platform Application Engineer acknowledged, while demoing the new chips running the latest Unreal Tournament 2004 and Call of Duty. 'This is not a full gaming platform.' Nonetheless, the company believes the chipsets can rely on the higher-bar of desktop processing power provided by Prescott P4 processors.

Support for the latest graphics standards includes DirectX9, Open GL 1.4 and Pixel Shader 2.0. Operating at a frequency of 333MHz, with 4 pixel pipes, Alvarez claims the new chipsets offer 'lower power, better thermals and quieter acoustics'.

New Pentium processors have also been announced. The 775-pin Pentium 4s are produced on a 90nm process and their arrival marks the extension of Intel's new numbering system to cover the Pentium family (or at least, the 90nm produced part of it.

Leading the way in the 5xx series is model 560, a new top-of-the-range 3.6GHz. All the models feature an 800MHz system bus with 1MB of L2 cache. Pricing for the 560, 550, 540, 530 and 520 is $637, $417, $278, $218, and $178 respectively.

Intel has also officially announced the arrival of Celeron D processors, a value version of the Prescott core already found in the newer Pentium 4 processors. Dubbed the 3xx series, the 335, 330, 325 and 320 clock 2.8, 2.66, 2.53 and 2.4GHz respectively, with all of them having 256KB of L2 cache and a 533MHz system bus. They are priced at £117, $89, $79 and $69.

All pricing is based on 1,000 unit direct orders.