Intel issues product discontinuance notice for seven Merom chips

Oh, Merom. It felt like just yesterday that we were shaking our heads in disappointment after reading lackluster reviews and wondering when you'd finally make an appearance in Apple's MacBook Pro. Thankfully, times change, and with Intel's mobile Penryn stealing all the limelight of late, we 'spose it's about time the Merom lineup cashed out its 401(k) and sailed off to Maui. According to a PCN (product change notification) from the chip maker, the Core 2 Duo T7200, T7600, T5500, T5600 and LV L7200 are being flagged for discontinuation along with the less potent Celeron M 520 and 530. Granted, the whole family will still be available to ship until sometime in 2009, but for us, it's on to bigger smaller and faster things. [Warning: PDF read link]

[Via TGDaily, image courtesy of Gutenberg]

[nak @ Jan 29th 2008 7:58AM]

How do I know if my Mac has a Merom chip in it?

[teej @ Jan 29th 2008 8:50AM]

right-click on My Computer, and go to System properties. wait...

[ssuk @ Jan 29th 2008 8:57AM]

It shouldn't really matter you. All this means is that the Merom chips are no longer being produced (or wont be soon) and the only ones available from Intel will be whatever they have in their warehouses after production stops.
This announcement was basically for hardware manufacturers to tell them that once Intel's stock of Merom chips is gone, that's it. They're no more.

[CajunLuke @ Jan 29th 2008 10:04AM]

If I remember correctly, any Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro has a Merom processor.

[mmendoza27 @ Jan 29th 2008 11:17AM]

Actually the new MacBook Pro's that have speed bumps (2.2, 2.4, 2.6 GHZ) are Santa Rosa processors running on the Santa Rosa chipsets. Merom MBP's (I have the 2.33 17" Santa Rosa... sad that my processor is so outdated!!) were running at 2.16 and 2.33 GHZ.

[macona @ Jan 29th 2008 4:20PM]

Mac Mini has Merom in it. Just order a T7200 for mine.

[b1gn @ Jan 29th 2008 11:03AM]

Lackluster reviews?? You're joking, right? Core 2 Duo added 64 bit support as well as 10% increase in performance and that's lackluster? Don't be greedy!! :-) A 10% increase is outstanding considering the original Core Duo was around a 30% increase IIRC.

[macona @ Jan 29th 2008 4:21PM]

And they run cooler than the previous CoreDuo processors I hear.

[xchekox @ Jan 29th 2008 5:56PM]

I've had a t7200 wince a llitle more than a year.. And I love it.. it is really good.. plus it is the fierst dual core with 64bit..

We will mis Merom!!

[Jack @ Jan 30th 2008 7:10AM]

first dual core with 64 bit did you say?
haha, good one...

[jdoe @ Mar 18th 2008 12:40PM]

@teej Good one. Took me a minute to get it, but then again, I'm running a Merom too...