Intel readies Itanium, plans PIII cuts
Intel Corp. is poised to flood the market with new chips in
upcoming weeks, including its first 64-bit processor, the
long-delayed Itanium.
Prior to launching the chips, Intel will move to reduce
existing inventories by discounting prices May 27 on
select Pentium III and Celeron processors up to 38
percent.
Under de
Itanium's ability to handle large amounts of memory and
process more data simultaneously makes it an appealing
offering, said Niraj Patel, CIO for GMAC Commercial
Mortgage Corp., in Horsham, Pa. GMAC plans to use the
chip to power a new merger-and-acquisition portal that
will use Microsoft Corp. applications.
"I don't think I can run the stuff I'm looking to work with
using a current 64-bit Unix-based processor," Patel
said.
Intel's 64-bit chip, to be available in 733MHz and
800MHz versions, is aimed at enabling the Santa Clara,
Calif., company to break into the lucrative high-end
workstation and server market currently dominated by
RISC-based chips from Sun Microsystems Inc., HP and
IBM.
Late this year, Intel will begin shipping the pilot version
of the second-generation Itanium, code-named
McKinley, which is expected to perform nearly twice as
fast.
Itanium's unveiling will be followed next month and in
July by the launch of seven new Pentium IIIs,
code-named Tualatin, that mark the beginning of the
company's transition to a 0.13-micron manufacturing
process. The process will enable the chips to finally
break the 1GHz barrier. The process, which allows for
smaller and faster chips, should reduce Intel's cost per
processor.
The Tualatin chips include two desktop versions at
1.2GHz and 1.13GHz and five mobile versions clocked at
1.13GHz, 1.06GHz, 1GHz, 933MHz and 866MHz. Also,
Intel will release two low-voltage chips within two weeks,
a 750MHz mobile Pentium III and a 600MHz Celeron,
designed to offer extended battery life for mobile users.
The May 27 discounts, revealed in a memo to Intel
business partners, will affect select mobile and desktop
Pentium IIIs and desktop Celerons-the workhorse chips
for corporate users. The fastest desktop Celeron, at
850MHz, will draw the biggest price cut, falling 38
percent, from $138 to $86 per chip. (Pricing is based on
1,000-unit shipments.) Further cuts may happen next
month, sources said.
