Notebooks Pounce On New Intel Processors
By Doug Olenick -- TWICE, 5/17/2004
SAN FRANCISCO— Dell, Gateway and Toshiba have introduced new notebook computers based on Intel's just-announced line of Pentium M mobile processors.
Intel's three new processors, under the company's new naming configuration, are the Pentium M 735, 745 and 755. The processors, which were developed under the code name Dothan, are the first built on Intel's 90nanometer technology, which enables more power to be placed on a small, more power-efficient platform. The 2GHz 755 has a 400MHz front side bus, 2MB of L2 cache, voltage ranging from 1.276 to 1.34, and costs $637 in lots of 1,000 units. The 745 is a 1.8GHz unit and the 735 is $1.7GHz with per-thousand unit prices of $423 and $294, respectively.
Intel no longer relies just on a processor's clock speed in naming the chips, but instead combines several factors, including front side bus speed, L2 cache and voltage to give consumers a better idea of the processor's capabilities. All are geared for use on highly mobile platforms in order to take advantage of the built-in wireless connectivity of the Pentium M line of processors.
Dell immediately made the new processors available on a range of its notebook products. The Pentium M 755 is available on the Inspiron 8600, Latitude D800 and Precision M60 mobile workstation, while the Inspiron 300m and Latitude D600 and D505 can be configured with the 745 or 735.
The first Gateway notebooks to utilize these new processors are Gateway 450 and M275, a Tablet PC device. The 450, suggested retail price $2,099, weighs 5.8 pounds and uses the Pentium M 745 processor. It has a 15-inch display, 512MB DDR memory, 60GB ATA hard drive and a DVD-ROM/CD burner. The M275 has the same features and price tag as the 450, but is slightly lighter and has the pen-based computing capability. Both models will ship during mid-May.
The first Toshiba models to use the new processors are the company's current line of Tecra M2, M2V and PortegeM200 Tablet PC. The first Satellite models to integrate the new Intel technology will be released during the summer for the back-to-school selling period, the company said.
