Dual-core Celeron, more Penryn set for Jan. 20

Intel is due to bring out its first dual-core Celeron just weeks after the mobile Penryn processor makes its debut, say tips from Taiwan mainboard producers. Confirming earlier leaks, the company will reportedly introduce a 1.6GHz chip under the E1200 model name that will serve as Intel's new extreme budget chip while still providing the multiple processors needed for modern software. It will share the outgoing Core 2 Duo family's support for 64-bit code but run on a slower 800MHz system bus and carry a small 512KB of Level 2 cache for instructions to reduce its price.

The new Celeron will be available on January 20th, roughly two weeks after the mobile launch, says the report. E1200 chips will sell for $53 in large batches and are likely to be available immediately for budget PCs.

Several of the extra speed grades for Intel's 45-nanometer Core 2 line based on the Penryn architecture will also appear. The day will be headlined by the 3.2GHz Core 2 Extreme, a clock speed increase of the 3GHz quad-core model that launched in November; mainstream Core 2 Quad chips will also be available at 2.5GHz, 2.66GHz, and 2.83GHz along with simpler Core 2 Duos clocked between 2.66GHz and 3.16GHz.

Pricing will start at $163 for the 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo and top out at $530 for the 2.83GHz Core 2 Quad. The Core 2 Extreme will sell for $1,399 and come unlocked to allow users to overclock it past factory speeds with sufficient cooling.

Filed under: computers
Other story tags: Intel, Core 2, Penryn, Celeron