X-bit labs

Intel Phases Out Old-Generation Centrino Platforms.

Category: Mobile

by Anton Shilov

[ 08/08/2005 | 10:15 PM ]

After announcing plans to discontinue mobile processors with previous-generation processor system bus speed-bin, Intel reminded its customers that the company’s 852- and 855-series of mobile core-logic sets are also scheduled for phasing out.

Intel 855PM, Intel 855GM, Intel 855GME, Intel 852GME, Intel 852GMV, Intel 852PM and Intel 852GM memory controller hubs (MCHs) as well as supporting I/O controller hubs (ICHs) will be unavailable for orders after the 25^th of November, 2005. The last product shipment date is scheduled for the 21^st April, 2005. All of those products supports only 400MHz processor system bus and does not sport PCI Express interconnection.

Earlier this year the world’s largest chipmaker will discontinue all Intel Pentium M processors with 2MB L2 cache and support for 400MHz processor system bus, including models running at 1.60GHz – 2.10GHz clock-speed. Intel will also cease to supply various Intel Celeron M processors, including LV and ULV flavours. Customers should place orders on Intel’s mobile processors to be discontinued until the 23^rd of September, 2005.

By discontinuing the previous generation mobile processing units as well as chipsets, Intel pushes modern mobile platforms that support 533MHz processor system bus, PCI Express interconnection and dual-channel DDR2 memory into the market.

Intel Celeron M and Intel Pentium M processors are designed for various notebooks with low power consumption and are usually sold under Intel Centrino brand-name being bundled with Intel chipsets and Intel wireless LAN controllers.

Intel’s latest incarnation of Centrino platform previously code-named Sonoma primarily targets the consumers, while the initial Centrino incarnation addressed the needs of business and enterprise users, who are not much interested in loads of multimedia capabilities, but are more concentrated on battery life and wireless LAN capability, still, Intel incorporated a number of technologies that further reduce power consumption of notebooks, such as Intel Display Power Saving Technology 2 (Intel DPST2), which reduces display backlight power by up to 400mW with minimal visual impact.