Intel takes wraps off 1999 collection

Chips Processors planned for notebooks, desktops and servers.

Intel has unveiled its plans for notebooks, desktops, servers and chipsets, topping and tailing its low-cost Celeron processor range.

The vendor will introduce 300MHz and 366MHz Celerons with 128Kb of integrated Level Two cache in the third quarter of 1998, and in the first half of 1999 will introduce a Celeron for the basic mobile PC market.

Intel is on the verge of releasing a 450MHz Pentium II. It will also introduce a 300MHz mobile PII and has plans for 333MHz mobile chips in the first half of next year.

The chip giant has not abandoned all plans for the Pentium MMX processor.

It will introduce a 300MHz mobile MMX processor in the first half of 1999.

On the server side, the vendor will release a 450MHz Xeon this year, with the option of 512Kb, 1Mb or 2Mb of Level Two cache.

Next year, Intel's Slot 2 Katmai chip, codenamed Tanner, will appear, running at 500MHz with 512Kb of Level Two cache. At the same time, it is likely to introduce a desktop Katmai at clock speeds of 450MHz and 500MHz.

The second half of 1999 will see technology for the mobile market codenamed Coppermine, using a 0.18 micron process and including the Katmai multimedia extensions.

On the chipset front, Intel has confirmed its Whitney technology will integrate graphics acceleration and processor and is aimed at the basic PC market in 1999.

Intel will also introduce the Camino chipset, which will line the processor to the Advanced Graphic Port (AGP) and Rambus Direct memory technologies.

Intel has slashed prices of existing Celeron and selected Pentium II processors.

SILICON RALLY

3Com is poised to hit back at Intel by setting up a unit selling silicon network devices.

The network giant will work with Taiwanese network interface card (NIC) developer Accton Technologies to form a joint venture called Impacct, which will provide Ethernet components to 3Com and potentially to third parties.

Setting up its own silicon venture would enable 3Com to compete more aggressively with Intel, which has encroached on its desktop networking heartland in the past year with cut-price NICs and other devices. The chip giant is stepping up its networking business and has the advantage of owning and controlling the silicon used, giving it economies, plus the ability to innovate rapidly.

Neil Rickard, research director at the Gartner Group, said: 'It would be a good idea for 3Com to look at gaining direct access to silicon. 3Com would be able to control the technology.'

3Com suffers the disadvantage that it needs to make respectable margins on its low-end products, while Intel's main motive - to sell more networking kit - will drive demand for more powerful PCs.

3Com refused to comment.