Intel Quad-core Chips Due This Year

Intel is moving up its production schedule so that it can release the quad-core desktop and server chips before the end of they year instead of some time in the first half of 2007. The chips, according to CNET, will actually be two dual-core processors on a single socket board. The quad-core processors due in 2007 from AMD will feature four cores in a single chip.

Paul Otellini, Intelis CEO, said "We notified customers weire pulling in both the desktop and server (launch) of the first quad-core processors into the fourth quarter of this year from the first half of 2007."

The company has released several of its processor products early this year. The dual-core "Woodcrest" chip was released in the second quarter, leading to speculation that Apple will announce an Intel-based replacement for the Power Mac G5 at its World Wide Developer Conference in August.

Intelis early release of "Kentsfield," the quad-core desktop processor, and "Clovertown," its server counterpart, means that we could potentially see single quad-core and dual quad-core Macs as early as the first half of 2007.