Intel Ships Pentium 4 Processor Operating At 2.2 Billion Cycles Per Second

SANTA CLARA, Calif., - Intel Corporation introduced itshighest-performing Pentium 4 processor ever, running at 2.2 gigahertz(GHz), or 2.2 billion cycles per second. Built using Intel's mostadvanced manufacturing technologies, the processor sets the stage for anew class of high-performance PCs that power increasingly populardigital music, photography and video uses, as well the latestapplications being developed for the workplace.

ystems based on the Pentium 4 processor at 2.2 GHz are availableimmediately from leading computer makers worldwide.

The 2.2 GHz milestone comes at a time when nearly 450 million peopleuse PCs that run at 700 MHz or less. While those PCs were state of theart two to four years ago, they pre-date the MP3 revolution, streamingvideo on the Internet, recordable DVDs and the online gamingphenomenon. The most recent data from InfoTrends Research Group, Inc.shows that 33 percent of online households own a digital camera. By2005, Forrester Research says that 92 percent of US online householdswill create and share personal multimedia content.

"People are making digital media a regular part of their lives, andthe new technology behind the Pentium 4 processor at 2.2 GHz makesthose experiences better yet," said Louis Burns, vice president andgeneral manager, Intel Desktop Platforms Group. "This holiday seasonbrought another surge in sales of digital cameras, and as consumers usesuch devices to record and share their lives with others, thehighest-performing PCs enable the best experiences."

New Manufacturing Innovations Lead to ProcessorPerformance

The new Pentium 4 processor is built on the semiconductor industry'smost advanced manufacturing technology, Intel's 0.13-micron fabricationprocess, using highly-efficient copper interconnects. Using thistechnology, Intel was able to increase the chip's on-board memory(called level two cache) while reducing overall processor size by over30 percent. With Intel's 0.13-micron process technology, it is possibleto build circuits so small that 55 million transistors can be placed oneach chip. It would take almost 1000 of these "wires" placedside-by-side to equal the width of a human hair.

Intel's 0.13-micron process technology features the world's fastestand smallest transistors (60 nanometer) used in volume production.These transistors are the foundation of the industry's highestperformance microprocessors.

The Pentium 4 processor at 2.2 GHz is the world'shighest-performance desktop processor as measured by the SPEC CPU* 2000benchmark running Microsoft* Windows* XP. The Pentium 4 processor at2.2 GHz delivers the world's highest Windows XP desktop processor scoreon SPECint*_base2000, with a score of 771. In addition, the Pentium 4processor at 2.2 GHz delivers a SPECfp*_base2000 score of 766.

Platform Innovation

Intel also announced that its popular Intel 845 chipset now supportsDDR memory, providing the industry with a high volume DDR solution thatdelivers both high reliability and memory interoperability. With its845 and 850 chipsets, Intel is now shipping the Pentium 4 processor inall performance and mainstream computing segments with a full range ofplatform solutions supporting all major memory technologies. The 845chipset has supported SDRAM memory since it was originally launched inAugust of 2001.

Two new Intel Desktop Board products, the D845PT and D845BG, supportthe 845 chipset and DDR memory and have been shipping since December.Today Intel also announced two desktop boards (D850MVSE and D845BGSE)that support up to five USB 2.0 ports. The higher bandwidth connectionsavailable through Hi-Speed USB 2.0 capitalize on the faster processingpower of the Intel Pentium 4 processor. The two boards are beinglaunched in advance of Intel's introduction of a USB 2.0-integratedchipset that will arrive in PCs later this year.

Pricing and Availability

The Pentium 4 processor at 2.2 GHz, with 512KB level two cache, isavailable now and priced at $562 in 1,000-unit quantities. The Pentium4 processor at 2.0 "A" GHz with 512KB level two cache ("A" signifiesthe 0.13-micron version) is priced at $364. Intel is also shippingboxed Intel Pentium 4 processors up to 2.2 GHz to distributors andsystem builders worldwide. The Intel 845 chipset sells for $39 in1,000-unit quantities.

Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leadingmanufacturer of computer, networking and communications products.Additional information about Intel is available atwww.intel.com/pressroom