Intel Celeron processors will see a significant speed boost this year after they will be transitioned to more advanced 90nm core with larger caches, faster processor system bus, SSE3 technology and soaring core-clocks.

According to the most-recent plans, first Celeron processors made at 90nm nodes will make their debut sometime in the second quarter of the year and will be available in three flavours: 2.53GHz, 2.66GHz, 2.80GHz and 3.06GHz. In the third quarter of the year Intel intends to roll-out its LGA775 value chips as well as 3.20GHz Celeron processor. In fact, because Socket T platforms will not be as mass as Socket 478 mainboards in 2004, Celeron chips starting from 2.80GHz will be available in both 478-pin and LGA775 packages. By the end of the year, sometime in Q4 2004, Intel will release 3.33GHz Celeron processors, while in Q1 2005 we should expect something like Celeron 3.46GHz.

All the new Intel Celeron processors will have 256KB of level-two cache, twice the size of current Celeron ships, and 533MHz Quad Pumped Bus, a 33% improvement over 0.13 micron value chips from the Santa Clara, California-based chipmaker. Besides, the new Celeron CPUs may also sport SSE3 technology found in Pentium 4 “Prescott” processors, though, it has not been confirmed yet.

90nm Celeron 2.53GHz, 2.66GHz and 2.80GHz SKUs will cost $79, $89 and $117 in commercial quantities at launch, sources familiar with Intel’s plans said.

AMD will continue to position its Athlon XP processors for Socket A against new Intel Celeron chips. Currently available Athlon XP parts are priced equal to comparable Celeron CPUs, but offer much higher performance. Intel Celeron processors are unlikely to beat Athlon XP chips in terms of speed even with newer core, though, Intel may offer very tasty pricing on its higher-end Celeron microprocessors, as it has quite some pricing headroom with its value offerings, while AMD Athlon XP chips designed to fight Intel Pentium 4 CPUs were created with speed, not dirt-cheap cost in mind.