Intel expands mobile IC line

Electronic News, Jan 26, 1998

Santa Clara, Calif.--Intel's recent expansion of its line of Pentium proces- sors with MMX technology for mobile PCs (EN, Jan. 19), code named the Til- lamook family, expands the company's mobile Pentium offerings at both ends with the addition of a lower speed, low power 166MHz version for entry level systems, and a 266MHz version to extend the ceiling at the high end.

The two new processors join the previously introduced 200MHz and 233MHz mobile Pentium processors with MMX. All of the devices are manufactured on Intel's 0.25-micron process. The 166MHz mobile Pentium operates at an internal core voltage of just 1.8 volts and consumes 2.9 watts typical thermal design power (TDP). The new device is said by Intel to offer the same performance level available in the previous 0.35-micron version with the primary difference being significantly improved heat dissipation.

The 266MHz mobile Pentium with MMX operates at an internal voltage of 2V and consumes 5.3 watts typical TDP. The 266MHz mobile Pentium posts a 9.4 percent integer performance increase over the 233MHz mobile Pentium using standard ZD CPUmark32 benchmarking.

John Antone, worldwide product marketing manager for Intel's Mobile and Hand- held Products Group (MHPC), said in an interview with Electronic News that, as of 4Q97, Intel had reached a 35 percent completion level for its conversion from 0.35-micron to 0.25-micron process, and the company expects to have con- verted 65 percent of its product line by the end of this quarter, and to have converted 90 percent of its line by the end of 2Q98.

"We are in rapid transition from 0.35 to 0.25-micron. In 3Q98 the transition will be basically complete. I say 'basically' because our policy is to always make available the older stuff to customers who want it," Mr. Antone said.

The 266MHz mobile Pentium with MMX technology is available in TCP or on board Intel's mobile module with 512 kilobytes of level 2 cache for $659 and $732, respectively in quantities of 1,000 units. The 166MHz version is available in TCP for $300 or mobile module for $373.