Santa Clara (CA) – Intel today launched four new Core 2 Duo processors as part of the much anticipated “Santa Rosa” platform, which not only enhances the Centrino platform core components, but offers completely new features such as optional flash cache as well as wireless broadband capability.

To many of us, it may seem that Intel launched its Core 2 Duo T-series processors not too long ago and the Santa Rosa “update” may appear almost unnecessary. Intel still holds the unquestioned lead in the mobile market, clearly outpacing AMD’s Turion 64 X2 processor both in performance and shipments. However, the original Core 2 Duo is only two months away from its one year anniversary and in fact due for a mid-cycle upgrade. It also needs to bridge the gap until the introduction of the 45 nm shrink “Penryn”, which is scheduled to launch at the end of this year or early in 2008.

Santa Rosa: New processors and chipsets

Obviously, at the heart of Santa Rosa are new Socket P processors, which will be replacing the first generation Core 2 Duo T-series Socket M processors. There are four new processors in total:

In addition to the regular Core 2 Duo CPUs, Intel is also lining up two low voltage versions, the L7300 (1.4 GHZ, FSB800, 4 MB L2) and L7500 (1.6 GHz, FSB800, 4 MB), as well as a Socket P ultra low voltage model, the U7500 (1.06 GHz, FSB533, 2 MB)

Intel has four chipsets to go along with its new processors. On the high-end, there are the GM965 and PM965 versions, which are based on an enhanced ICH8M Southbridge and bring support for the 800 MHz front side bus and continue to connect to DDR2-667 or DDR2-533 memory. For lower-priced notebooks, Intel is offering the 943GML (DDR2-533/FSB533), which is based on the ICH7M Southbridge and the GL960, which includes the newer ICH8M Southbridge and support for DDR2-533 and FSB533.

The GM965 includes Intel’s graphics chipset and promises to run DirectX10 as well as Microsoft’s Windows Vista AeroGlass interface. Intel is putting more and more focus on graphics capability and recently told us that the 965GM should be about 70% faster under 3DMark05 than the preceding 945M. The 965GM successor “Cantiga”, due in 2008, promises another 25% increase. Overall, Intel plans to increase the graphics performance of its graphics chipsets by an average of 50% every year until 2010.

Compared to the ICH7 Southbridge, ICH8 removes support for some aging technologies such as PATA in favor of SATA. AC'97, which was touted in ICH7 as an enabler for 7.1 channel audio, is replaced in ICH8 by real-time HD audio processing capability with support for the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) via an additional SDI link.

New in the ICH8M enhanced version is the activation of Intel’s the firm's La Grande technology, now called “Trusted Execution Technology” (TXT), which will be available in business-targeted “Centrino Pro” versions of Santa Rosa. TXT follows the specifications of the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) via a trusted platform module (TPM) and will allow customers to better safeguard the information that is stored on their systems.

Read on the next page: Tick-tock, new features in Santa Rosa, prices