Intel Goes To Extreme, Bids Goodbye To Pentium

Intel Corporation has finally said goodbye to Pentium processors with the launch of 10 Intel Core 2 Duo and Intel Core 2 Extreme processors for consumer and business desktop and laptop PCs and workstations.
The Intel Core 2 Duo processor family consists of five desktop PC processors tailored for business, home and enthusiast users, such as high-end gamers, and five mobile PC processors designed to fit the needs of a mobile lifestyle. Intel Core 2 Duo processor-based workstations will also deliver industry leading performance for such areas as design, content creation and technical computing.Many of the products will also offer a selection of Intel-designed and integrated technologies such as Intel Virtualization Technology and Intel Active Management Technology that make the PC more secure and manageable. Also, support for 64-bit computing now expands to notebook PCs. The new processors can be paired with the Intel 975X, 965, and Mobile Intel 945 Express chipset family. The Intel 965 Express chipset includes the latest integrated graphics and Intel Clear Video Technology. All these chipsets are Microsoft Windows Vista Premium Ready.The release was much expected as AMD was taking over the dual core processing market with its processors. Intel is already having a hard time in server section as more and more companies including Dell and IBM are shifting to AMDs processors.But Intel maintains that, "The Core 2 Duo processors are simply the best processors in the world," said Paul Otellini, president and CEO of Intel. "Not since Intel introduced the Pentium processor has the industry seen the heart of the computer reinvented like this. The Core 2 Duo desktop processor is an energy-efficient marvel, packing 291 million transistors yet consuming 40 per cent lower power, while delivering the performance needed for the applications of today and tomorrow."