Intel sets 11 November 45nm launch date

Intel is preparing to officially launch its 45nm quad core on 11 November.

The chipmaker reportedly posted the date on a website for resellers that is accessible with a username and password only, according to Daily Tech.

The Intel website listed 7 Penryn models with clock speeds ranging from 2.0 Ghz to 3.16 Ghz. Except for the 120 Watt 3.16Ghz model, all chips consume 80 Watt of power.

A spokesperson for Intel declined to comment, adding that information posted on the reseller site is subject to non-disclosure agreements.

The company has officially stated that it plans to start production on the 45nm processor in the second half of this year, but hasn't yet disclosed a launch date.

Intel is expected to be the first chip maker to launch 45nm silicon. The new chip furthermore is slated to out-perform AMD's forthcoming Barcelona Opteron processor that starts shipping to server makers this month.

Penryn is the first chip to use so-called High-K and metal gate transistors, which allow the company to drastically reduce power consumption. The chip also is the first to introduce the new SSE instruction set.