What should a Prescott-based notebook look like?

We get lots of messages related to Intel´s processor roadmap changes. In particular, it´s all about 3.40GHz Pentium 4 XE (0.13µm Northwood) that should arrive before the "desktop" version. As we´ve repeatedly mentioned, these processors might be sampling already in December, with volume production scheduled to Q1 2004.

Roadmaps that were demonstrated to journalists of The Inquirer prove that Prescott will be positioned similar to Pentium 4 – like DTR solutions. A typical sample — Sager 8790 – is already being discussed at Talk Notebooks though it would be announced only in January 2004 on "Intel Pentium 4 3.2/3.4/3.6GHz (Prescott)".

What does it mean? It´s clear that Prescott systems will be pushing aside "desktop" Pentium 4 and Pentium 4M. Therefore, alongside volume quantities of Prescotts, we should expect Pentium 4 and corresponding notebooks prices reduction. The current price cut plans for February 15 prove this as well:

Below are brief specs of one of the first Prescott-based notebook:

• Chipset: Intel 865PE + ICH5
• Memory: up to 2GB of DDR 266/333/400 (2 x DIMM for dual-channel mode)
• 2 x 2.5" HDDs, Ultra DMA, hardware RAID 0 or 1
• Integrated 7-in-1 card reader
• LCD: 17" WXGA (1440x900)
• 256MB graphics memory
• AGP 8X
• ATi Mobility Radeon 9700 (M11)
• Resolution supported on CRT monitors: 2048x1536x16M
• TV tuner
• Optical drive: 24x CD-ROM / 8x DVD-ROM / 24x CD-R/10x CD-RW / DVD/CD-RW / DVD-R/RW
• Sound: 6-channel codec, AC´97 2.2, S/PDIF, mic, 4 x integrated speakers
• PCMCIA slot: PCMCIA 3.0
• I/O ports:
  • 1 x Serial
  • 1 x Parallel (ECP/EPP)
  • 1 x Keyboard
  • 1 x DVI
  • 3 x USB 2.0
  • 3 x audio
  • 1 x RJ-45 LAN (10/100/1000Mbps)
  • 1 x RJ-11 Modem
  • 1 x IEEE 1394 Fire Wire (4-pin)
  • 1 x S-video TV-Out
  • 1 x S-video Video-in
• Size: 39.1x27.9x4.19cm
• Weight: 3.9kg excluding battery

Write a comment below. No registration needed!