Intel's next-gen chip

Intel plans to unveil a single brand name for a new generation of chips for laptop PCs and desktop machines, calling them the 'Core 2 Duo'. The processor giant's new architecture, dubbed 'core', delivers two processors on a single chip, driving better performance while consuming less power. Core 2 Duo will phase out the Pentium 4 brand for desktop processors and the Core Duo for laptop chips. The chips, code-named Conroe for desktops and Merom for laptops, are scheduled to start shipping in the third quarter. Intel also has plans for a high-performance processor for computer games : the Core 2 extreme. The Core 2 Duo uses a new manufacturing process that shrinks the size of a chip's circuitry which allows Intel to put more transistors on a single chip, boosting performance and power efficiency. Intel executives said on March the Conroe will deliver 40 percent better performance and consume 40 percent less power.