Intel Set to Announce its Next-Generation Processor Design

On August 23rd, Intel’s CEO Paul Otellini will talk about the firm’s next-generation processor architecture at Intel’s bi-annual Developers’ Forum. As early as now however, these details are known – the next-gen chips will start shipping in the second half of 2006 and are expected to result in “processors that are high-performance, energy-efficient and multi-core”, according to Intel. Further, the next-gen chips are said to rely on Pentium M (an offshoot of Pentium III), but will support HyperThreading and certain multimedia-friendly features launched with Intel’s present architecture, NetBurst, which is found in today’s Pentium 4 desktop CPUs.

Spectators also eagerly await more information at the forum about Napa, the third generation of Centrino, together with its plans for enterprise desktop and server platforms, and for more local-oriented products.

It is estimated that Intel is currently focused on Merom, the follow-up to the 65nm dual-core mobile chip “Yonah”. Merom is scheduled to be released mid-2006. Conroe, a desktop version of the processor is expected to be released soon after that.