Monday, May 08, 2006, 09:00 am

Intel gives name to next-generation chips

By Katie Marsal

Intel Corp. on Monday plans to unveil a single brand name for its new generation of chips for notebooks and desktop machines, formally dubbed Merom and Conroe.

Both chips should begin making their way into Apple's professional line of notebooks and desktops in the second half of the year.

The world's largest chip maker on Monday will announce that Conroe and Merom will both be called "Core 2 Duo" chips when they launch in the third quarter of the year, according to an advance press release.

Woodcrest, a high-end desktop and server chip targeted at high-performance enthusiasts, will be known as Core 2 Extreme, the company said.

According to Intel, the new line of chips will be faster and use less energy than previous processors, such as the Pentium 4. The company hopes the chips will help it regain mind and market share from rival Advanced Micro Devices.

Last month, Intel announced that it would bring the next-generation chips to market earlier than expected, with Woodcrest shipping in June, Conroe in July and Merom in August.