Intel has announced the next generation Centrino 2 platform for laptops, previously codenamed as Montevina. Montevina chips are manufactured with high-k metal gate technology on a 45nm chip die. With Centrino 2, Intel promises faster performance with integrated graphics and wireless chips as well as less consumption of power. The Centrino 2 platform will come in two flavors - a consumer model and another with vPro technology for business customers.

For the consumer model, the Centrino 2 offers higher 3D performance and HD media capabilities, branded as 'HD-on-the-go' for enhanced Blu-ray playback. Intel also claims that an average two-hour HD movie can be viewed with a single charge of laptop batteries. For its business customers, there's built-in security and manageability features in the Centrino 2 vPro flavor.

Centrino 2 chips include refreshed Core 2 Duo processors, codenamed Penryn, bundled along with Intel's Mobile 45 Express chipset (codenamed Cantiga), Intel's GMA X4500 graphics chip and Intel's 5000 series wireless chip that supports WiFi and WiMax.

The platform will offer new 5000 series chipsets: WiFi/WiMAX Link 5150/5350 mini-PCIe adapter codenamed Echo Peak, Intel WiFi Link 5100/5300 mini-PCIe adapter (codenamed Shiloh), or an optional add-on card WiMAX (802.16, (codenamed Dana-Point).

The chip also includes flash-memory caching technology, codenamed Robson 2, branded as Intel Turbo Memory and Deep Power Down Technology that enables switching off idle processing components such as core clocks and memory cache.

This chip is expected to support clock speeds from 2.26 GHz to 3.06 GHz with a faster 1066MHz front side bus and up to 6MB of L2 cache.

Intel has introduced six new processors:
8000 series with 3MB L2 Cache:
P8600 with clock speed of 2.6 GHz and P8400 with clock speed of 2.4GHz

9000 series:
T9600 with clock speed of 2.8 GHz, P9500 and T9400 - both clocked at 2.53 GHz

The P-series chips carry TDP rating of 25 watts while T-series chips carry TDP rating of 35 watts.

Extreme Model:
X9100 has clock speed of 3.06 GHz and TDP rating of 44 watt.

The pricing of the new Centrino processors are given below:

X9100-$851
T9600-$530
T9400-$316
P9500-$348
P8600-$241
P8400-$209

Note: The pricing of processors is on per 1000 units' basis.

The Centrino 2, Montevina, will directly compete with AMD's solely for notebook Puma Platform launched last month, manufactured on 65nm die.