Intel will cut its Pentium M processor prices by up to 33 per cent on 5 October, sources within Taiwan's notebook manufacturer community have claimed.

The sources, cited (http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/Article.asp?datePublish=2003/08/19&pages=01&seq=1) by DigiTimes, also claim Intel will discontinue the 1.3GHz Pentium M on that date.

Other mobile processor prices will be cut later in the month, on the 26th, with Mobile Pentium 4 chip prices falling by between 14 per cent and 35 per cent.

On the same day, Intel is also expected to cut the prices of its desktop (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/archive/31048.html) Pentium 4 line, in preparation for the launch of the family's successor, codenamed 'Prescott', in November. It's likely that the Pentium M price cuts are similarly paving the way for the next generation of the chip, the 90nm 'Dothan' CPU, which is now due to ship (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/3/32238.html) right at the end of the year.

On 26 October, the 3.2GHz P4 will fall to $417, a reduction of 34.5 per cent. Other 800MHz FSB P4 prices will fall too, with the price of the 3GHz chip being reduced from $417 to $278 (a fall of 33.4 per cent), the 2.8GHz version falling from $278 to $218 (down 21.6 per cent) and the 2.6GHz part coming down to $178 from $218 (down 18.3 per cent). The 2.4GHz chip will stay where it is, at $178.

The 533MHz FSB 3.06GHz P4 will fall from $401 to $262, a dip of 34.7 per cent. The 2.8GHz version will fall to $193 from $262 (down 26.3 per cent) and the 2.66GHz release will be priced at $163, down 15.5 per cent from $193. The 2.53GHz P4 will also fall from $193 to $163.

On 5 October, the price of the 1.7GHz Pentium M will fall from $637 to $423, a cut of 33.6 per cent. The 1.6GHz part's price will be reduced to $294 from $423, down 30.5 per cent. The 1.5GHz version will fall 18 per cent to $241, from $294, and the 1.4GHz Pentium M will be priced at $209 - the current price of the 1.3GHz chip - a fall of 13.3 per cent from its current price, $241. ®