Intel launched their updated Centrino 2 platform on Tuesday. Aside from the new processors the platform adds new integrated graphics chipset and a new wireless chipset. There are three P-series processors, two T-series processors and one X-series processor based on 45nm Penryn architecture. The P-series includes P8400 (2.26GHz and 3MB L2), P8600 (2.4GHz and 3MB L2) and P9500 (2.53GHz and 6MB L2) processors with 25W TDP. The T-series has T9400 (2.53GHz and 6MB L2) and T9600 (2.8GHz and 6MB L2) processors with 35W TDP. The X that stands for Extreme has X9100 processor with 3.06GHz clock speed, 6MB L2 cache and 45 W TDP. The prices for the new processors will range from $209 for P8400 to $851 for X9100.
The Centrino 2 will use the new 45-series chipset that promises users enough power to playback Blu-ray movies and enable notebooks to playback an entire Blu-ray movie on one full battery charge. The graphics performance of the new chipset shows 70% improved over previous version in graphics benchmarking application 3D Mark 06. Intel is introducing switchable graphics – a technology that can switch between discrete and integrated graphics depending on user setting or requirements. If you need more battery life from your laptop you can simply switch to integrated graphics and the system will run more power efficiently. The platform will also have new 5000-series wireless chipset. The 5300 version will be for regular sized notebooks and a smaller 5100 version will be for compact notebooks. Intel will add WiMAX to the wireless chipset in September.
Intel’s Regional Marketing Manager Sujan Kamran has also said that Intel will bring quad-core mobile processor in August this year. The processor will be part of the Extreme series and will have a TDP of 45 watt. The overall performance of the systems based on Centrino 2 platform will increase by 15-30 percent depending on what applications you are using. If you are need a notebook now, Centrino 2 is a solid platform, it is better than AMD’s Puma platform. But, if you can wait for few months, Intel will release new mobile processors based on Nehalem architecture in Q1 2009, which would increase the performance and power efficiency by up to 50 percent and that would be a good time to buy a new laptop.