No more Pentium 4's?

Yup. They'll be replaced by dual-core processors due out next year.

http://notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=23463

I'm not convinced at all (to say the least) we will see dual core Itaniums(?) out next year... Perhaps, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

http://news.com.com/2100-1006_3-5207...l?tag=nefd.top
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1587826,00.asp

So does this mean Intel will be stalled until 2006 when they release a dual core desktop processor? Or will they keep trying to ramp up their nuclear core called Prescott? They obviously have to do something... I guess the Dothan is the stopgap?

Bye, bye Mhz wars

Intel Halts Development of 2 New Microprocessors
By LAURIE J. FLYNN

Published: May 8, 2004


AN FRANCISCO, May 7 - Intel said on Friday that it was scrapping its development of two microprocessors, a move that is a shift in the company's business strategy.

Intel, the world's largest semiconductor manufacturer, said it canceled plans for Tejas, the code name for Intel's successor to the Pentium 4 chip, which is widely used in desktop personal computers. A second chip in development, code-named Jayhawk and intended for use in server computers, has also been canceled.

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"We are reprioritizing and revamping our road map," said Laura Anderson, an Intel spokeswoman. Ms. Anderson said Intel, based in Santa Clara, Calif., had decided to focus its development efforts on "dual core" processors instead of single- core processors, like Tejas.

Dual-core technology refers to a processor with two engines instead of one, allowing for greater efficiency because the processor workload is essentially shared.

Dual-core processors provide better performance for multimedia and home entertainment uses.

"We're taking advantage of an opportunity," Ms. Anderson said. "This is a competitive move."

She said Intel was set to release a new dual-core processor for desktop PC's in 2005 and a version for servers sometime after that.

Intel executives said in February that the company was on track to ship a dual-core version of its Itanium processor in 2005.

Richard Doherty, president of Envisioneering, a consulting firm, said he saw Intel's shift as a consolidation, as well as a recognition that the company needs to focus on its most efficient projects. Nathan Brookwood, editor of the industry newsletter Insight 64, said Intel very likely decided it needed to shift resources to dual-core technology because software developers have spent the last year creating software that takes advantage of the technology. Last year, Intel announced another chip technology called hyperthreading, which allows software written for that technology to function as if there were two processors.

"The software environment is ready for this," Mr. Brookwood said. "That's a key difference between now and a year ago."

Mr. Brookwood said the shift was also an indication that the Intel Pentium 4 line had reached its performance limit for the amount of power it consumed. "They concluded they'd be doing an awful lot of work for little gain," Mr. Brookwood said.

The company declined to discuss how many employees would be affected by the shift, or how much Intel had invested in Tejas development so far. Engineers working on Tejas will be reassigned to other projects.

Intel executives had first disclosed details of Tejas in early 2003, saying they planned to launch it sometime in 2004, but the project was later postponed to 2005. Prescott, the predecessor to Tejas that is now called Pentium 4, also faced development delays before it was finally released in February. Analysts have attributed some of the delays to problems with heat and power consumption.

"Intel clearly has been struggling with the thermal properties of Prescott," Mr. Brookwood said.

Dotham, a successor to the Pentium M chip used in notebook PC's, has faced similar delays, but is now scheduled for release on Monday. Dotham is the first notebook chip to use the 90-nanometer manufacturing process. The chip, originally scheduled for release in February, offers higher performance than its predecessor.

Pretty interesting stuff. It was only a few days ago I was reading an Intel reps statement spouting forth on the now old road map. You have to admit they did a pretty good job of keeping this from leaking. Other random thoughts... Do the guys at AMD look like geniuses now or what? Will my next lappy be a 64 bit AMD part running on a PCI express board with the new ATI gpu? I'm salivating just thinking about it.

To think, I may spend 2,000 dollars on a laptop, and then in a year it will be useless because of new tech. Oh, the pain of reality in the computer world!

What would make it useless?

Useless was the wrong word to use. “Inferior” is a better word to use.

Well... I feel your pain man but its a known fact that the moment you buy computer hardware is the moment it's no longer top of the line. When you finally buy something, something newer is almost instantly released. It sucks, I know, but... unfortunately there is no escaping it. Kinda like the law of cause and effect.

The cause = You buying a bleeding edge, top of the line system.
The effect = Something more powerful is out within a few days to weeks time.

Thats why you buy something not quite top of the line, so you dont have to wait for the inferior feeling Besides being a tiny bit behind has price advantages.

I wouldn't buy something not quite top of the line, especially if you're a gamer or buying a laptop. Buy the best they offer at the moment, in that way, your computer will last a little longer before it's completely outdated. This rule apply more to laptop computers since the inards are not as easily upgradable as desktop

I guess it depends. Buy a descent laptop now for say $1800 or so that will play games and another in a year when the next gen is cheaper or blow $3000 now and keep it for 3 years. Personally and its only my opinion I prefer to upgrade more often for less. I got the 2.8 cpu on mine, why? because you cant tell much difference and when the 3.? comes down I'll slap one in there. Example, my desktop radeon 9700pro is just as playable on every game out as my 9800XT. I learned the hard way. I paid over $400 for the XT and $99 for the 9700pro on ebay. I wish I had gotten a cheaper Mitac with the A64 and all, that way I wouldnt feel as bad when the new ones came out and I wanted to ditch it to get a better model.. However maybe I am just sore about not having an upgrade to the 8890 like the people who own the 59XX have. I would love to swap out for an upgradeable version.

As I had stated elsewhere I had no idea that motherboard upgrades were possible at the time I got my 8890. As always had done, I purchased with the future in mind: I can do some basic upgrades for the next three years or so (all the important ones were avail, minus the vid card but it'll do), and by the time I'm ready to get the next one I'll likely be forced to get a better (and perhaps smaller) chassis anyway. Unlike my previous notebooks both USB and firewire are avail so it may last well beyond this timeframe, and I hope it does.

It just happened to be that the machine that fit my needs best at the time was the newest model. Having capability for three drives internally was an interesting plus though. RAID is another nice form of insurance for later, and an unheard one for most notebooks today as well.

But I wanted DVI out specifically for the three year period too, as this will also be my primary system soon and can hold me while the next year and a half of new tech settle out to reasonable prices. At that point I'll take a peek at desktops again.