Roadmap Intel's 'Conroe' processor, the multi-core desktop CPU derived from the company's next-generation notebook chip, 'Merom', will ship in Q3 2006, according to the latest leaked roadmap.

The roadmap confirms the arrival of the Pentium Extreme Edition 955, the 65nm, HyperThreading-enabled 3.46GHz dual-core processor already mentioned by motherboard maker Asus. The 955 will ship in Q1 2006, and not be replaced until Q4 with a part whose model number and clock speed remain unknown.

The 955 is based on the Presler core, which will also form the basis for the Pentium D 920, 930, 940 and 950 next quarter. The two HyperThreading-less dualies are clocked at 2.8GHz, 3GHz, 3.2GHz and 3.4GHz, respectively, the roadmap - revealed by Japanese-language website PCWatch - shows.

Presler is built from two single-core 'Cedar Mill' 65nm dies connected together within a single chip package. Q1 2006 should see the arrival of four Cedar Mill-based CPUs, launched as the latest Pentium 4 chips, the 631, 641, 651 and 661, clocked at 3GHz, 3.2GHz, 3.4GHz and 3.6GHz, respectively.

Interestingly, roadmaps from this past summer list these as the 633, 643, 653 and 663, presumably to show them as improvements on the recently released P4 662 and 672, Virtualisation Technology-equipped updates from the 660 and 670. Presumably, Intel no longer feels the need to make such a distinction since all Cedar Mill-based P4s will support VT.

Come Q3, the quarter in which Conroe is scheduled to appear, Intel will also launch the 3.8GHz Pentium 4 671, again based on Cedar Mill.

In Q2, Cedar Mill will be used for a pair of new Celeron D CPUs, the 3.2GHz 352 and the 3.33GHz 356, the roadmap shows. ®