These words can describe the recent solution from Intel. As we learned, Intel decided not to restrict itself to the launching of Pentium 4 processor based on the new 0.13micron core and working at 2GHz and 2.2GHz. In addition to these models Intel will very soon start shipping slower Pentium 4 processors built on Northwood core and featuring 512KB L2 cache. They will work at 1.6GHz and 1.8GHz core frequency and will be officially called Intel Pentium 4 1.6AGHz and Intel Pentium 4 1.8AGHz respectively.
To prove this fact we can say that there appeared some info about the sSpec of these processors on Intel’s web-site. According to the new data, Pentium 4 1.6AGHz and 1.8AGHz will be made in Socket478 form-factor and will be shipped in both: boxed and OEM packages. As for the price, we don’t have any info on that yet. However, judging by the fact that 0.13micron Pentium 4 2.0AGHz costs about 6.5% higher than the 0.18micron Pentium 4 2GHz, we expect Pentium 4 1.6AGHz and 1.8AGHz to be more expensive than their Willamette based fellows by about the same value.
It is curious that Pentium 4 1.6AGHz and 1.8AGHz in the sSpec table are marked as "This mid-power processor is designed to operate at less than 45 degrees C Thermal Design Power". It may mean that Intel intends the slowest Northwood models for small PCs, such as MicroATX ones, for instance. No doubt, that the company is working on the technologies to be used in mobile Pentium 4 Northwood CPUs this way. These processors for notebooks are expected to come out in the end of March – beginning of April 2002.