Intel Corporation released a batch of new microprocessors for mobile computers this week, upping the ante in the race to increase performance while lowering power consumption and heat. The chips include new versions of its Pentium III and Celeron designs, including a Pentium III running at 750 MHz and a new 600 MHz design that consumes only 1 watt of electricity. Intel's recent focus on power consumption is seen as a response to the threat from Transmeta, whose Crusoe processor consumes very little energy, enabling longer battery life.
"Intel continues to deliver the highest performance across all mobile PC segments," said Frank Spindler, the vice president and general manager of Intel's Mobile Platforms Group. "By combining Intel SpeedStep technology with ultra low voltage technology, we are delivering processors consuming less than one watt of average power, bringing high performance to today's smallest notebook designs."
Intel differentiates the Pentium III and Celeron lines in a number of ways, though performance is similar for most business users. The Pentium III has 256K of on-board L2 cache, compared to only 128K for the Celeron. And the Pentium III offers Intel's SpeedStep technology, which allows mobile computers to lower the processor's clock speed when the device is powered by batteries, increasing battery life. In addition to the new Pentium III chips, Intel introduced 600 and 650 MHz Celeron processors, and a new version of the 500 MHz chip that consumes less than 3 watts
