Intel's 2.2-GHz Pentium 4 Debuts Early

Intel's newest microprocessor, the next-generation 2.2-GHz version of its Pentium 4 chip, went on sale in Tokyo's Akihabara electronics district on Thursday afternoon, ahead of its official launch date in January.

The new processor is not just a faster version of the company's previous chips but is the first new chip to be based on Intel's Northwood core. Produced using a state-of-the-art 0.13-micron production process rather than the 0.18-micron process used for current Willamette cores, the Northwood cores include double the amount of layer 2 cache memory, 512KB, which Intel says should translate into higher performance for users.

The Northwood core also uses less power and runs at a lower voltage--1.5 volts compared with 1.75 volts for the current Pentium 4 (originally code-named Willamette).

Along with the new 2.2-GHz chip, a 2.0-GHz Pentium 4 based on the Northwood core is also due to be launched officially soon. However, like the new processor, it has already made its Akihabara debut, appearing a couple of days before Christmas.

Price May Drop

Prices for the 2.2-GHz processor range from $609 to $624, depending on the vendor. The 2.0-AGHz version (the letter A signifies the first-generation Northwood core) is selling in Japan for about $460.

Those prices may drop soon, however. An internal Intel roadmap described in late November had the 2.2-GHz Pentium 4 initially debuting in early January for $615 but being cut to $560 on January 27. If Intel sticks to these plans, the new chip should be 9 percent cheaper in one month.

The launch of the new chips comes at a time when high-performance Pentium 4 systems are getting cheaper for consumers. The launch earlier in December of Intel's 845D chip set means PC makers can now couple DDR (double data rate) memory with the processor. DDR memory has the advantage of being both low cost and high performance. It is just a little more expensive than conventional SDRAM (synchronous dynamic RAM) memory, and it delivers about the same performance as Rambus DRAM.