Aside from its overall powerful line of Core processors, Intel’s branding for the laptop PC has always been Centrino, where the chipset, mobile CPU and wireless network interface were bundled together as one unifying brand or package.
However, this will no longer be the case, as the global chipmaker giant has decided to retire the Centrino brand and implement more straightforward processor brands across the board.
All processors, Intel said, will be brought under one umbrella – the Intel Core Processor family – and there will be three flavours based on performance.
Everything will be “simplified into entry-level (Intel Core i3), mid-level (Intel Core i5) and high-level (Intel Core i7)”, said Intel’s corporate communications manager Bill Calder on the firm’s blog.
“We will still have Celeron for entry-level computing at affordable price points, Pentium for basic computing, and of course the Intel Atom processor for all these new devices ranging from netbooks to smartphones.
“For PC purchasing, think in terms of good-better-best, with Celeron being good, Pentium better, and the Intel Core family representing the best we have to offer,” he added.
Centrino, however, while being retired as a processor technology brand, will still exist because it will be the new name for the Wi-Fi and WiMAX products from Intel, beginning in 2010.
By Marie Boran
