2007 will see less excitement in terms of new processors. Intel will be filling the gaps in its current lineup, update the low-end and add slightly more clock speed on the high-end. By now, it's no secret anymore that the quad-core "Kentsfield" will be Intel's flagship throughout 2007. The processor will launch this month as QX6700 (2.66 GHz) version with no major update planned through Q3 2007. The company will add a consumer Kentsfield, named Core 2 Quad Q6600, with 2.4 GHz clock speed. The CPU will launch early in Q2 of 2007 and will be tray-priced at $851. In Q3, Intel will launch FSB1333 processors for its Salt Creek platform. These include the E6650 (2.33 GHz), the E6750 (2.66 GHz) as well as the E6850 (3 GHz).

Kentsfield processor

There will also be a new E6800 processor, which will clock in at 2.93 GHz, but continue to rely on FSB1066, as well as an E6400 version that will be available without virtualization capability.

The mobile T5000/7000 series will carry-over into the desktop segment for small form factor devices and include a T7100 (1.8 GHz) and T7700 (2.4 GHz) version as entry-level and high-end models for the Santa Rosa platform (which will bring support for Intel's flash-cache technology "Robson"). Santa Rosa will also include T7300 (2.0 GHz) and T7500 (2.2 GHz) processors.

Business desktop

The big news for Intel's 2007 stable image platform is the introduction of Bearlake chipsets as part of the Weybridge platform, which is scheduled to be launched in Q3. Intel will continue to offer a "pro" version (which will receive the "vPro" logo) as well as a regular business platform. The major differentiator in the Pro version is the integration of support for AMT "Pro" as well as the activation of Intel's TPM-based security technology LaGrande. Intel has renamed LaGrande to "TXT, which stands for "Trusted Execution Technology" and is based on the specifications of the Trusted Computing Group.

Processor choices for the business platform include Pentium 4 500/600 single cores at this time, which will be replaced with Core E1000 chips in Q3 of next year. The Pentium D 800/900 segment is likely to receive Core 2 Duo successors soon while high-performance and workstation system will be targeted with Core 2 Quad and higher-end Core 2 Duo processors.