Jason Dunn
04-17-2004, 03:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,115699,pg,1,RSS,RSS,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,115699,pg,1,RSS,RSS,00.asp</a><br /><br /></div>"Sonoma differs from the current Centrino platform in several areas. For starters, it's based on an updated Pentium M processor, codenamed Dothan, that's made using a 90-nanometer process rather than the 130-nanometer process used to manufacture existing Pentium M chips. A more advanced process technology allows chips to be made that cost less and can offer greater performance while consuming less power.<br /><br />Dothan, which will start to ship during the current quarter, offers 2MB of on-chip cache and supports a faster 533-MHz front-side bus, which connects the chipset with the processor. Dothan will also consume the same amount of power as Intel's current Pentium M chips. The existing Pentium M chips, formerly known by the codename Banias, have 1MB of on-chip cache and use a 400-MHz front-side bus."<br /><br />Double the cache, faster front side bus, same power consumption? Sweet! That will make video/audio/photo editing even faster. Toss in 802.11a/b/g support and a new High Definition Audio chip, and we're golden for making notebooks better equipped for mobile digital media. Bring it on!