New Intel mobile processors may have short shelf life

Intel will introduce a set of mobile processor chips in June, but the CPUs will be obsolete within three months.

The mobile Pentium II 400MHz is set for launch in June at an expected price of around $475 in 0.25 micron guise and $525 in a 0.18 variant. But by September that price will have dropped to just $310 for the 0.25 and $350 for the 0.18.

The reason for this is the arrival of the 600MHz, 500MHz and 450MHz Pentium III Coppermine mobiles in September, marking identical speed ratings for desktop and mobile products for the first time.

Intel itself has stated that it is moving from use of 75 per cent desktops to 25 per cent notebooks, to the opposite situation within two years, citing the increasing power of notebook hardware and the increasing mobility of its workforce as the main reasons.

As expected, the high end PIII mobiles will attract a price premium, the smart money predicting price tags of over $750 for the 600MHz parts.

But, more interestingly, there will be a 400MHz mobile Celeron in June at just $180, comparing very favourably with the mobile PIIs. And by September, a 433MHz mobile Celeron at around the same price, will sound the death knell for the mobile PIIs, which will never exceed 400MHz.

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