Intel preps two-stage 'Napa' retail roll-out

Exclusive Intel Celeron M processors based on the upcoming 65nm 'Yonah' core will appear in Q2 2006, according to the chip giant's latest roadmap.

Separately, internal Intel retail documentation seen by The Register reveal the next generation of Centrino, aka 'Napa', will debut in January as anticipated, but be followed by a second-stage roll-out in March.

Celeron M clock speeds remain unlisted for now, but the roadmaps, as conveyed by Japanese-language site PCWatch, indicate the chips will appear as models 410 and 420. A third Celeron M, the 430, will ship in Q3 2006. All three contain 1MB of L2 cache and are single-core chips.

A single Yonah-based Celeron M ULV will debut in Q2 2006, as the 423.

Curiously, Intel doesn't appear to be using its new wattage-derived numbering scheme for the Celeron M line, which is retaining three-digit model numbers and, where appropriate, the 'ULV' suffix to indicate ultra-low voltage.

From Q1 2006, Yonah-based Pentium Ms, both single- and dual-core versions, will use four-digit model numbers prefixed with a 'T', 'L' or 'V', to indicate the processor's power consumption. The 'LV' and 'ULV' markings will be dropped, we understand.

According to Intel's North American retail roll-out plan for Napa, the first two SKUs will ship at launch, with three more arriving in March. The documentation also indicates the chip giant will implement a "full refresh" of its Napa merchandising plan in March after an "early January merchandising execution in post-holiday environment". A clue to the arrival of Intel's new branding? Possibly, but the document gives no confirmation one way or the other.

Either way, it suggests the Centrino line will gain a kick late in Q3 when, according to the latest roadmap, many existing Pentium M products drop off the list. ®