Intel ‘Quad-Core’ Chip to Ship in Nov.

Intel, a producer of computer chips, said it will ship its next-generation “quad-core” chips in November, in an effort to gain some ground in the ongoing processor war between it and rival Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), The Wall Street Journal reports.

Paul Otellini

Intel Chief Executive Paul Otellini made the announcement at the Intel Developers Forum, and he said the new chips will feature four separate computer core microprocessors on one piece of silicon, and they’ll provide a 70 percent performance improvement over their predecessor chips, according to the Journal.

Modern PCs typically feature chips with one or two cores, the Journal reports.

The new quad-core chip is meant for use in high-end PCs, but the firm said it would release a similar chip for use in average consumer PCs during the first quarter of 2007, according to the Journal.

Otellini also said Intel will begin to ship Xeon server chips with quad-cores in November, and they’ll offer a performance improvement of 50 percent over predecessor chips with no significant increase in power consumed, the Journal reports.

The firm plans to add a new set of connectivity features, as well, and in 2008 it will build long-range WiMax wireless technology into its Centrino notebook chips, according to the Journal.  Shorter-range WiMax functionality is already built into such chips, the Journal reports.

WiMax upgrade cards to be used with existing computers will also most likely be available via Intel before the end of 2006, Otellini said, according to the Journal.

Intel’s chief exec noted that it is currently working to put into place new technology that will enable it to build smaller chips that consume less power, and its first 45-nanometer process manufacturing facility is already in the works in Ore., the Journal reports.  The chip maker plans on having three functional 45-nanometer plants by the first half of 2008 in Israel, Ariz. and Ore., according to the Journal.

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