Intel lays out roadmap for Montevina-based Centrino 2 platform

We've already gotten wind of Intel's not-so-surprising branding choice for its Montevina platform, but it looks like the company's just now gotten a whole lot more specific about things, with it laying out its roadmap for the newly-named Centrino 2 product line. As Daily Tech reports, the new platform will make its debut in June of this year, and will include separate "Performance" and "Small Form Factor" lines. On that former front, you can expect processors ranging form 2.26GHz to 2.8GHz, with a TDP rating of either 25W or 35W and prices from $209 to $530. The Small Form Factor line, on the other hand, is considerably more over the map, boasting processor speeds from 1.2GHz all the way up to 2.2GHz, and TDP ratings ranging from a mere 5.5W to 25W (prices will be between $262 to $316). Needless to say, this bit of news has also already set the latest MacBook rumor mill into full swing, with DailyTech reporting that "Apple insiders" say the company will refresh its laptop line alongside the platform's launch in June, not that you likely needed "insiders" to tell you that.

[Via MacRumors]

[Flashpoint @ Feb 27th 2008 5:54PM]

I miss the days when Intel kept things simple.

Pentium ----> Pentium 4

Now they've got all types of Core Duo's and all types of sticker colors. Even though most gadget/PC nuts understand them, the average buyer has no idea why they are spending $1500 on a laptop when all they want to do is use Microsoft Office.

I guess all these labels work real well for the employees of big box marts who want to confuse customers.

[Kamokazi @ Feb 27th 2008 6:05PM]

These labels and names and colors, as you so keenly pointed out, have little to do with performance indication.

They are the sole product of a marketing department, and marketing does nothing but sell product, and if they can sell you more product at higher prices then they will. Hence the confusing naming schemes. They don't care if you know what you are buying, as long as you buy it.

[soviet_vexxer @ Feb 27th 2008 6:10PM]

honestly i'd be happier if they just went with a single name and stopped changing it. say pentium 5,6,7,8, so on. and they tagged on the core number. for example [pentium 6 (dual,quad, w/e) x.xxGhz]. then all they have to change is the version number. yea i've been wanting this for years but no luck. my two cents.

[Ben @ Feb 27th 2008 6:11PM]

aww
I still like intel better than AMD

[Irwin @ Feb 27th 2008 7:05PM]

but thats booring

["computer nut" @ Aug 21st 2008 9:02PM]

Please get informed or get the hell out of the internet. kthxbai

[Ali @ Feb 27th 2008 6:05PM]

Is this new Montevina/Centrino 2 supposed to be better than Core 2 Duo? And Core 2 Quad too? Or is it aimed at lower markets?

[Adam @ Feb 27th 2008 6:15PM]

the centrino 2 platform, from what i understand, will actually still use core 2 duo chips. the centrino 2 deals with the whole chipset, ie motherboard, integrated graphics, wifi, etc. so they will still use the newest core 2 duo processors (Penryn) until new processors come out (which are the nehalem) and are put in the centrino 2 platform. anyone feel free to correct any misinformation.

[ccolanto @ Feb 27th 2008 7:14PM]

yeah your right about the CPU's,
Also, the Montevina platform will see FSB speeds up to 1066 MT/s :D and support for DD3 :D:D
not to mention newer and better integrated graphics

[Ali @ Feb 27th 2008 8:02PM]

Ahhh, so it's a platform, not a chip itself.. Wikipedia's got tons of info on it..

[Kamokazi @ Feb 27th 2008 8:31PM]

Montevenia is to Santa Rosa like Penryn is to Merom (Conroe was the desktop core, which is confusing because everyone referred to the first gen C2's by that name, but the 2nd gen gets referred to by the mobile CPU's name...Wolfdale is the desktop name in case you are curious.)

[wickedpheonix @ Feb 27th 2008 6:10PM]

June?! Man... wishing for these to come in May. Lenovo needs all the time it can get to make a Montevina tablet so I can buy one for school in September :D

Nice to see SFF prices that low... not too sure about the power usage though - "Merom, the mobile variant, is listed at 35 watts Thermal Design Power (TDP) for standard versions and 5 watts TDP for Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) versions." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Core_microarchitecture so it's not really that much of an upgrade in that department.

[soviet_vexxer @ Feb 27th 2008 6:16PM]

thanks for the link. puts everything into perspective.

[Shawn @ Feb 27th 2008 6:11PM]

The small form factor chip @ 5.5 watts would be good for the Macbook Air. Or the Eee PC.

[Jonathan Keim @ Feb 27th 2008 7:32PM]

Apple only admits when it's obvious

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Wait.... isn't the statement above obvious

[Sirocco @ Feb 27th 2008 6:29PM]

Let's just redefine BC as "Before Centrino-2". Now, everyone kill their first born son, and be quick about it while we still have time, because it won't be long before we see Centrino-3, which will herald yet another epoch, as the inexorable march continues, unabated and unrequited.

[itsnotabigtruck @ Feb 27th 2008 8:30PM]

i lol'd

[Sirocco @ Feb 27th 2008 6:38PM]

Oh, Zirconian, God of Silicon, is there no limit to Moore's Law? I beseech you, tell me it will end, and put me out of my misery! My out-of-date user manuals already trail behind me toward infinity, as my brain becomes packed with ever more minutiae, sparking as it threatens to go Supernova. Enough already!

[Hung @ Feb 27th 2008 9:54PM]

Fucking Win. You Win so hard. You are the opposite of Zeus.:God/Tom Oliveri/Constable Odo/and all the other well-known Engadget douches.

P.S. Will you bear my children? You can be the pitcher and I'll make you a sandwich afterwards.

[OSXleopard2 @ Feb 27th 2008 6:42PM]

Man, now I have to decide if I want to buy the new MacBook Pro that just came out, or hold it out for another 3ish months for the new chip...decisions, decisions! What you do?

[Josh @ Feb 27th 2008 7:12PM]

So if Intel releases the chips in June, does that mean that there will be machines available with these chipsets in June? Or do we have to wait several more months till new machines are released with these chipsets.... Anyone?

[stupidnoduhdude @ Feb 27th 2008 7:06PM]

As far as I know the whole point of the Centrino/Centrino2 (Montevina) platform is to label laptops that meet Intel's hardware usage standard (i.e., the system uses Intel's processor/chipset/wireless card). If the system doesn't use those 3 components, then it just gets the Core2 label.

I'm not sure what components Apple uses in the MBP, but I wouldn't bother waiting around just for Apple to start putting the "Centrino 2" logo on their products, that's more of a Tosh/Lenovo/Sony type thing.

[OSXleopard2 @ Feb 27th 2008 7:16PM]

Here's what Mac Rumors says:
"DailyTech reports that Intel is planning to replace the Santa Rosa mobile platform with Montevina this June. More specifically, they claim that Apple will be revising their notebooks again this June to incorporate newest chipsets:

'Apple insiders confirmed the company will refresh its notebook lineups in June, which comes as no surprise since all Centrino partners indicated they will announce notebooks based on the new Montevina Centrino 2'."

[dizilbdog @ Feb 27th 2008 6:53PM]

These chips are supposed to have Wimax built in. I wonder if apple will figure out how to disable that or something. Or charge you money to use the wimax part of the chip?

[ccolanto @ Feb 27th 2008 7:17PM]

@ stupidnoduhdude

Apple does in fact use the centrino chipset, but due to the fact that they use their own wireless chips, they don't have to/(can't?) label their machines as Centrino's...

[stupidnoduhdude @ Feb 27th 2008 7:33PM]

That was my point exactly when I stated that it would be unlikely to see Centrino labels on Mac laptops since they don't use ALL 3 components that Intel requires vendors to integrate in order to get the Centrino sticker. Whether they use 1 or 2 of the 3 components makes no difference at all.