Chipset
The chipset, codenamed Crestline and officially called the Mobile Intel 965 Express, includes a wide variety of enhancements to existing power-saving techniques plus some novel ideas, especially in display management. The Display Power Saving Technology (DPST) has been improved for better colour performance; this spots display contents that are primarily dark and lightens the pixels while dimming the backlight. Display Refresh Rate Switching and interlace support reduces LCD panel performance when the system is running on batteries and when display content allows it. Other systems turn off or reduce the speed of the LAN and various peripheral connections when operating conditions permit. The whole combination can save between two and three watts of power, which results in around five to ten percent extra battery life. The graphics themselves are provided by the GMA X3100 graphics core, which has eight 32-bit floating-point execution units clocked at 667MHz, hardware shading and support for Vista's Aero graphics. However, the GMA X3100 doesn't support DirectX 10 yet.
The Active Management Technology in the Centrino Pro platform can use wireless connectivity, which potentially extends the reach of the IT manager to the mobile workforce.
Another new feature in the chipset is support for Intel's Active Management Technology (AMT). This has been part of the vPro business platform for a while, but has been updated for Santa Rosa. This out-of-band management support is in effect an entire separate computer with its own connection to the network, with the ability to operate even when the main processor isn't running. By giving support software access to system components when the system as a whole has crashed or is otherwise engaged, AMT helps remote diagnostic and repair efforts. The Santa Rosa version of AMT, 2.5, has the ability to use wireless networking for the first time, although limitations in how public networks are configured mean you won't necessarily be able to get IT support to fix your notebook when you're out in the field with a blue screen of death.
To qualify for the new business-focused Centrino Pro branding, a system must include Intel's AMT 2.5 firmware and an AMT/VT-capable BIOS, in addition to the other Santa Rosa platform elements. Consumer notebooks, which don't require these manageability features, will continue to be branded as Centrino Duo.
Wireless
The wireless network card in Santa Rosa, codenamed Kedron but now dubbed the Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN, includes Intel's take on the long-delayed 802.11n standard. You can expect throughput of between 200Mbps and 300Mbps -- with the appropriate wireless system on the other end, of course -- but as for long-term compatibility with the finished standard, interoperability with other Draft-N systems, power consumption issues and mutual interference with 802.11b and g users within range, only time will tell.
The Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN supports the Draft-N wireless networking standard, delivering throughput up to 300Mbps.
Pricing
Prices vary from US$209 (AU$250) for the T7100 processor with 2MB of cache and 1.8GHz clock speed to US$530 (AU$636) for the 2.6GHz 4MB T7700. The Mobile Intel 965 Express chipset is US$39 (AU$47) or US$43 (AU$51), depending on configuration; the Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN costs US$29 (AU$35); and Turbo Memory ranges from US$13 ($AU15) to US$21 (AU$25), according to whether the manufacturer buys the components or the complete module, and whether they go for 512MB or 1GB. The full list of new processors and pricing is as follows:
- Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 (2.4GHz): US$530 (AU$636)
- Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 (2.2GHz): US$316 (AU$379)
- Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 (2.0GHz): US$241 (AU$289)
- Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 (1.8GHz): US$209 (AU$250)
- Intel Core 2 Duo L7500 (1.6GHz): US$316 (AU$379)
- Intel Core 2 Duo L7300 (1.4GHz): US$284 (AU$341)
Roadmap
There's a planned refresh to Santa Rosa due in the first half of 2008, which will see the introduction of a Penryn-based 45nm processor followed by a complete new Centrino platform codenamed Montevina. This will include the Cantiga chipset, WiMAX and Wi-Fi wireless (Echo Peak), a gigabit LAN interface (Boaz) and the next generation of Turbo Memory (Robson 2.0). Details on Montevina remain sketchy, but the Penryn architecture will include yet further ways to drop the processor into still deeper sleep states on the most abstemious trickle of power.
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