La notizia era già nell'aria da mesi (si veda ad esempio questa nostra news di Dicembre 2004), ed oramai era data per certa. Ma solo ora arriva l'annuncio ufficiale di Intel, che lancia il suo primo processore della linea Celeron (i processori economici per desktop e notebook) con il supporto alla tecnologia a 64 bit EM64T (Intel® Extended Memory 64 Technology).

Il nuovo Celeron D 351 offre una frequenza di clock di 3.2GHz, un FSB di 533MHz, 256KB di cache L2, socket LGA775, processo produttivo a 90 nm e supporto alla tecnologia Execute Disable Bit.

Oltre al modello 351, Intel introduce anche le versioni 346, 341, 336, 331 e 326, tutte con supporto ai 64 bit. Completa così l'introduzione della tecnologia EM64T a tutta la gamma di processori desktop.

Presentato oggi anche il modello Celeron D 350, con caratteristiche pari al 351 ma privo di supporto ai 64 bit.

Riportiamo di seguito il comunicato stampa ufficiale di Intel (disponibile a questo indirizzo):

Intel Completes 64-Bit Transition With Introduction Of Intel® Celeron® D Processor For Value PCs

SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 27, 2005 – With the introduction today of the Intel® Celeron® D processor 351, Intel Corporation now has Intel® Extended Memory 64 Technology (Intel EM64T), or 64-bit memory addressability, available throughout its entire desktop and server processor lines.

With appropriate 64-bit supporting hardware and software, PCs based on an Intel processor supporting Intel EM64T can enable the use of extended virtual and physical memory. For example, on digital media applications 64-bit desktop computing enables faster performance with its ability to process more in main memory, also referred to as RAM, due to less data caching to and from the hard drive. Also, Intel processors supporting Intel EM64T provide headroom for processing high-definition video by enabling improvements in both speed and quality of workflow with its ability to handle large amounts of data.

Support for Intel EM64T on the Intel Celeron D processor family is just one of several value-orientated features as Intel bolsters its value PC platform. The Intel Celeron D processor 351, when combined with an Intel® 915 or 910 Express chipset-based platform, delivers a balanced level of technology and value for desktop PCs while also expanding 64-bit support. With such features such as Intel® High Definition Audio supporting 7.1 surround sound and the Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 900 (Intel GMA 900) for improved graphics capabilities, consumers can experience crisp pictures and theater-quality sound when doing such things as surfing the Web, playing basic games, doing e-mails, creating word-processing documents, tracking home finances and using education software.

Based on Intel’s industry leading 90nm process technology, available in the LGA775 package, the Intel Celeron D processor 351 features a 256KB Level 2 cache, a 533 MHz system bus, a processor speed of 3.20 GHz, and support for the Execute Disable Bit.

Intel also announced that it is shipping the Intel Celeron D processors 346, 341, 336, 331 and 326 in the LGA775 package with support for Intel EM64T and the Execute Disable Bit. Intel communicated earlier this year it would be transitioning customers to the Intel Celeron D processor with Intel EM64T. By mid-2005, Intel had completed this transition.

Lastly, Intel announced the Intel Celeron D processor 350 today. The Intel Celeron D processor 350, available in the mPGA478 package, features a 256KB Level 2 cache, a 533 MHz system bus, supports Execute Disable Bit and has a processor speed of 3.20 GHz. This processor does not support Intel EM64T and is compatible with Intel 910 Express chipset-based platforms as well as Intel 845 and 865 chipset-based platforms.

The new Intel Celeron D processors 351 and 350, in addition to the new Intel Celeron D processors supporting Intel EM64T, are available now in prices that range from $73 to $127 for 1,000-unit quantities.

Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.