As we have expected, both leading x86 processor developers today announced their new high-performance solutions.
Intel announced the launching of their new Pentium 4 2.0AGHz and Pentium 4 2.2GHz CPUs. Both newcomers continue the Pentium 4 family with NetBurst architecture, however, differ from the predecessors a bit more than by higher core clock frequency. Today Intel Pentium 4 processors have not only broken the 2GHz barrier, but moved to a new 0.13micron manufacturing technology. Both, Pentium 4 2.0AGHz and 2.2GHz, will be produced with finer process and based on the new Northwood core. Besides lower power consumption and lower production cost, new processors will boast an enlarged 512KB L2 cache (as you remember, all Pentium 4 processors used to have 256KB L2 cache).
Pentium 4 processors with 2.2GHz core clock and 512KB L2 cache will cost $562 in 1,000-unit quantities. Pentium 4 2.0AGHz (the letter "A" in this case allows to distinguish between 0.13micron and 0.18micron CPUs) with 512KB L2 cache will sell for $364. Together with the announcement of the new CPU prices, Intel also reduced the cost of the 0.18micron Pentium 4 2GHz with 256KB L2 cache by 15%. Now Pentium 4 2GHz on Willamette core costs $342 instead of $401. So, the new CPUs with larger L2 cache cost more than the old ones working at the same core clock frequency.
Also Intel announced the availability of their i745 chipset supporting DDR SDRAM. It sells for $39 in 1,000-unit quantities.
AMD, in its turn, announced a new Athlon XP processor. The newcomer with 2000+ performance rating works at 1.67Ghz frequency (266MHz bus), is based on a relatively old 0.18micron Palomino core and sells for $399 in 1,000-unit quantities. This is the last Athlon XP manufactured with 0.18micron technology. In the end of Q1 2002, AMD will introduce some new members of the Athlon XP family built on 0.13micron Thoroughbred core.
For more details on the processors performance and features, please, see our latest article called Intel Pentium 4 (Northwood) 2.0AGHz and 2.2GHz against AMD Athlon XP 2000+.