Intel Corporation, the worlds biggest maker of semiconductors, officially issued a document reflecting the company’s intention to bring more advanced Intel Pentium 4 microprocessors based on Prescott core later this year. As reported previously, the new products will shore up power management and security features.

Revamped Pentium 4 on the Way

A “Product Change Notification #104101-00” states that the chip giant plans to transit virtually all its Pentium 4 processors produced using 90nm process technology to a new stepping that will deliver a number of new techniques discussed by Intel earlier this year. The new capabilities Intel plans to include are the so-called AAC technology that adjusts performance depending on load in order to maintain low heat dissipation and quiet operation of personal computers as well as XD technology – aka Execute Disable Bit (NX bit) – a certain flag that determines whether instructions can be executed from the page. The new processors will not dissipate less power than current chips, but will be able to shrink the power consumption when there is no need for high-performance computing.

Even though both features are not likely to bring additional performance for Intel’s Pentium 4 processors, customers are likely to praise Intel for the move, as additional security and quiet operation are gaining popularity among end-users, who only have one option to get them now – AMD64 processors that natively support NX bit and a tech called Cool’n’Quiet.

In an attempt to provide end-users more performance with its Pentium 4 chips, Intel will reportedly bring processors with 2MB L2 cache and 1066MHz processor system bus in late 2004.

According to the document, all Pentium 4 chips produced using 90nm fabrication process will be transited from D-0 to E-0 stepping, including products in mPGA478 and LGA775 form-factors as well as special versions of Pentium 4 processors for uni-processor servers and workstations with 64-bit capability enabled. However, only processors in LGA775 packaging will be able to benefit from XD and AAC technologies.

But What About 3.80GHz?

Initial samples of Intel Pentium 4 “Prescott” processors with E-0 stepping core will be available in June 2004, while commercial supplies are likely to start from the 1^st of October, 2004. No information about official launch date of the new chips is revealed.

Sources close to Intel said the company would release 3.60GHz and 3.80GHz processors for desktops in the second and the fourth quarters respectively. However, the product change notification contains no information about 3.80GHz processors. This may mean that the 3.80GHz chips will be available only in E-0 stepping or will not hit the ground by the 1^st of October.

Officials for Intel Corporation did not comment on the report.