Intel introduced additional members to the Pentium® II processor family as well as the first member of the Intel® Celeron™ processor family in 1998. Intel also delivered the first Intel® Pentium® II Xeon™ processors targeted towards mid- range to high-end servers and workstations. Further enhancements to the Pentium II Xeon, Intel Celeron and mobile processor families included additional speed updates and a variety of memory and bus speed configurations -- allowing the highest possible performance on all three vectors of performance, to all market segments.

This rapid expansion of processors will continue throughout 1999. Specifically, Intel will continue its path of innovation with the introduction the Pentium® III processor in the first quarter. This product is targeted at the performance consumer and business desktop market segments. It includes Streaming SIMD Extensions, a set of approximately 70 new instructions designed to enhance 3D, imaging, and video applications.

Also in Q1 of 1999, Intel will introduce the Pentium® III Xeon™ processor which will also feature Streaming SIMD Extensions. It will be targeted at the mid-range and higher-end server and workstation market segments.

In the 1H'99, Intel will deliver additional speed updates to the Intel Celeron processor family.

In January 1999, Intel introduced the first Celeron™ processors for basic Mobile PCs. On the performance side of this market segment, Intel introduced mobile Pentium II processors running at 333 and 366MHz in January 1999.

Targeted Products, Unique Segments

The Pentium II Xeon processors for mid-range and higher servers and workstations are designed with larger L2 cache sizes, a full-speed L2 cache bus, and increased cacheable address space. Intel also offers a 450MHz (512k L2 cache) and a 400MHz (512k, 1M cache) version. On January 5, 1999, Intel introduced the 450MHz Pentium II Xeon processor with 2M L2 cache. These processors offer glueless support for up to eight-way multiprocessing and are optimal for mid- range and higher servers and workstations, from multiprocessing servers used to run a business to networked workstations for complex calculations and digital content creation (DCC).

Intel has expanded the Pentium II processor family for the 242-contact slot connector (formerly known as slot 1) with a 450MHz operating frequency on a 100MHz system. IntelŪ Pentium II processors for the 242-contact slot connector are targeted towards the Enthusiast/Professional and performance desktop as well as low to mid-range servers and workstations.

Notebook PCs are benefiting from the proven Pentium II processor architecture, with Mobile Pentium II processor speeds of 366, 333, 300PE and 266PE MHz. These processors incorporate state-of-the-art technologies, like Intel's 0.25 micron manufacturing process and Dual Independent Bus (DIB) architecture, for dramatically-improved business, graphics, and communication software productivity. And, with the introduction of the 366-MHz version, mobile Pentium processors supply the power and features required for the constant computing environment. In addition, the first-ever mobile Intel® Celeron™ processors were also introduced, at speeds of 300 and 266MHz. These processors broaden Intel's mobile computing product line to enable anytime, anywhere computing.

For the Basic PC market segment (PCs priced under $1200 U.S.), Intel offers the Celeron processor available at 400, 366, 333, 300A, 300, and 266MHz. Intel continues to build this new product family and will announce additional Celeron processors throughout 1999. Along with the Celeron processors at 400, 366, 333, and 300A MHz, these new versions in 1999 will utilize an integrated L2 cache. In addition, these processors are available in a plastic pin grid array (P.P.G.A.) form factor as well as the single edge processor package (S.E.P.P.). The P.P.G.A. form factor is compatible with the 370 pin socket and provides new potential for OEMs to lower system design cost as well as more flexibility to design system form factors.

While processors based on the Merced™ processor and IA-32 architecture will continue to provide ever-increasing performance for the desktop, mobile, workstation, and server markets, Intel will enhance its high-end server and workstation offering with the Merced processor and IA-64 architecture.

IntelŪ Processors: Here today, and the best solution across all market segments for tomorrow.