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Intel gave its Centrino laptop package a speed boost this week with the release of a new, faster Pentium M processor.

The Centrino package includes a Pentium M processor, a PC chip set, and a WLAN (wireless LAN) chip set.

The Pentium M 765 processor runs at a clock speed of 2.1 GHz and includes 2MB of Level 2 cache and support for a 400-MHz front-side bus. Previously, the Pentium M 755 was the fastest processor in the line with a clock speed of 2 GHz.

Available worldwide, the Pentium M processor 765 is priced at $637 in 1000-unit quantities.

Price Cuts

The introduction of the new processors follows recent price cuts on Intel's mobile processors. On October 17, Intel cut the price of the Pentium 755 by 33.6 percent, from $637 to $423 in 1000-unit quantities, according to the price list posted on the company's Web site.

Intel also cut prices on five other Pentium M models, with the size of the cuts ranging from 13.3 percent to 30.5 percent.

The price of the 1.8-GHz Pentium M 745 was reduced 30.5 percent, from $423 to $294; the 1.7-GHz Pentium M 735's price was reduced by 18 percent, from $294 to $241; and the 1.6-GHz Pentium M 725's price was reduced by 13.2 percent, from $241 to $209. All three of these chips have 2MB of Level 2 cache.

Prices were cut by 18.3 percent on the 1.7-GHz Pentium M with 1MB of Level 2 cache, from $294 to $241. The 1.6-GHz Pentium M with 1MB of Level 2 cache had its price reduced by 13.3 percent, from $241 to $209.

All prices are quoted for 1000-unit quantities of the chips.