Intel Delays Sonoma Launch

Intel is delaying release of its next-generation mobile chip set code-named Sonoma until the first quarter of 2005, according to a source at Intel.

Sonoma was expected out in the second half of this year, but a design problem will push back the formal industry launch of the chip set to next year, the source says.

The chip set will ship for revenue this year, meaning unit shipments will be sent to PC makers, at which time Intel will be bringing in revenue from Sonoma. Unit shipments to PC makers typically occur about six weeks before the products are available using the chip set.

Design Problem

Silicon for the chip set didn't meet Intel's production standards, the source says, characterizing the problem as a design issue rather than a manufacturing issue.

The silicon problem is not related to a flaw affecting the 915 G/P and 925X chip sets, formerly known as Grantsdale and Alderwood, that led Intel to recall some of those chip sets from system vendors and channel partners late last month. That flaw was in the I/O controller on the chipsets and could prevent a computer from starting normally.

Sonoma will enable Intel to introduce a Pentium M processor with a 533-MHz front-side bus, which connects the chip set with the processor, as well as providing PCI Express interconnect technology and support for DDR2 (double data rate 2) memory.