Intel Corp plans to launch the Xeon high-end version of the Pentium III chip next month, in clock speeds of 450-, 500- and 550-MHz, along with the 450NX/100 and 450GX/BX/100 chipsets. These will use existing 0.25 micron technology, with 0.18 micron versions of CPU and chipsets appearing in the second half of the year. These, along with the mainstream Pentium III, will get clock boosts to 600-MHz and above with the change of process. But 0.18 micron parts will appear first in the Mobile Pentiums, initially as Mobile Pentium IIs, due mid-year, with clock speeds of up to 433-MHz. Mobile Pentium IIIs in 400, 5xx and 6xxMHz speeds, along with the Geyserville power management technology, are also set for launch in the second half of the year. For the Celeron value PC market segment, Intel plans clock speeds of greater than 400-MHz in the first half, and 500-MHz versions, still using 0.25micron, in the second half. Mobile versions of the Celeron will reach 400-MHz in the same time frame. And Intel plans its crucial next generation Camino chipset supporting Rambus memory, to emerge in the second half. September, the date of the next Intel Developer Forum, is likely to be the launch month. Intel’s next major launch is the IA-64.
