Expect Apple to upgrade its MacBook Pro to include Intel's mobile Core 2 Duo microprocessor - better known by its codename, 'Merom' - at the end of the month or early September, Mac buyers have been told.

The claim comes from AppleInsider, which cites a source familiar with Apple's product plans. Said mole claimed Apple intends to be among the first vendors to ship kit based on the new chip.

Last week, Intel said Merom-based machines will hit the market late August. Soon after, UK PC maker Rock said it would be one of the first companies to do so. AppleInsider's source, however, suggested volume shipments of the chip would arrive in the first week of September. That implies limited availability this month followed by a big ramp in September.

Five Merom chips will be made available: the T5500 and T5600, both with 2MB of L2 cache, and the T7200, T7400 and T7600, all with 4MB of cache. All five processors run on a 667MHz frontside bus and are, respectively, clocked at 1.66, 1.83, 2.00, 2.16 and 2.33GHz. All five CPUs operate at 1.04-1.3V. ®

Read Reg Hardware's Core 2 Dup review here

Read our Windows-on-Mac special report here