According to Digitimes, 45nm Penryn desktop processor family that is scheduled to come out in Q1 2008 will include 9 models from the start. Five of them will have two computational cores and four will be quad-core solutions. The maximum working frequency of the Penryn processors will hit 3.16GHz at launch.

Dual-core 45nm Penryn processors also known as Wolfdale will be available with clock speeds from 2.5GHz to 3.16GHz. Typically, they will feature 6MB of L2 cache memory, however the youngest model in the lineup will have a cur down 3MB L2 cache. This processor will also lose Virtualization Technology and Trusted Execution Technology support.

Quad-core desktop processors also known as Yorkfield will launch with the clock speeds between 2.5GHz and 3.0GHz. These CPUs will feature the total of 12MB L2 cache memory except for the youngest fellow in the family, which will have only 6MB of L2 cache.

We have to stress that so many models in the processor lineup result from the fact that they will support fractional multipliers with 0.5x increment. And since all Yorkfield and Wolfdale will support 1333MHz bus, the difference in clock frequencies between the closest models in the lineup will equal 166MHz.

Although the desktop Penryn processor family is scheduled to come out only next year, the first of the promising 45nm processors will be launched this year already. It is expected to be Yorkfield Extreme Edition that should arrive almost simultaneously with the server Penryn family represented by Xeon E54XX processors.

According to sources, until Nehalem CPUs come out, Penryn will increase their clock speeds up to 4GHz. This will be the startup frequency for Nehalem processors in H2 2008.