Intel tightens its stranglehold on the mobile market with five new chips using the Tualatin process code.

Intel continues its dominance in the mobile computing market with its new series of mobile processors designed to speed up notebook performance. The new Mobile Intel Pentium III Processor-M series uses a faster process code named Tualatin that employs 0.13-micron (the dimensions of circuits embedded on chip's surface) technology and promises faster performance while decreasing power consumption. Previous PIII processors were limited to 0.18 micron.

The major enhancements

The M-series debuts from 866 MHz up to 1.13 GHz, so Intel adds extra performance as we expected, but also unveils relatively slower processors to take advantage of the lower power requirements of the new core. The gigahertz processors require 1.4 volts at maximum performance, down from the 1.7 volts required by the current processor. In battery-optimized mode, the M-series requires 1.15 volts, compared to the 1.35 volts of its predecessor. Intel claims that the average power requirements are less than two watts in battery optimized mode.

With the sub-gigahertz processors (866 MHz and 933 MHz) 1.15 volts is required at maximum performance, which is comparable to the ultra low voltage Pentium III 600 MHz processor. In battery-optimized mode, the requirements drop to 1.05 volts. With these processors, Intel claims an average power usage of less than one watt in battery-optimized mode.

Intel gives SpeedStep a facelift as well. The gigahertz plus processors step down to 733 MHz in battery-optimized mode, while the sub-gigahertz processors drop to 533 MHz. The SpeedStep applet version 2.1, used by some vendors, takes it even further. The applet now allows two additional settings, including Maximum Battery and Automatic. In Maximum Battery, the processor drops to 366 MHz, while the Automatic setting dynamically adjusts performance depending on the application's requirements. It seems that Intel took some pointers from AMD with these two new settings.

The biggest performance enhancement with the M-series is the boost in level-2 (L2) cache from 256KB to 512KB with Data Prefetch Logic. Much like AMD's Mobile Athlon 4, Data Prefetch attempts to predict the next piece of information the processor will request and preloads the L2 cache in preparation. The result, according to Intel, is increased processor performance. We're not convinced on the effectiveness of Data Prefetch Logic, but an increase in L2 cache is always welcome.

What it all means

As usual, Intel continues to push the performance envelope, but it is also addressing the critical power issues found in notebook computers. With this new line of processors and the lower power requirements, we'll soon be able to see smaller notebooks using faster processors. Until recently, these faster processors could never be fully utilized, primarily because of relatively slow graphics cards. We've started to see a glimpse of video subsystems capable of handling the processing power that the gigahertz processors afford, but we're far from being par with desktop counterparts.

As all these performance enhancements arrive, we're still left with the poor battery life that has plagued the mobile market. The big power consumers, the display and video subsystem manufacturers, still need to address the power issues that have kept us from shattering the three-hour barrier for good.

The M-series of processors will start appearing in notebooks from Dell, HP, and IBM, but how do they perform? Take a look at our latest roundup. Expect to pay a premium for these notebooks, but you'll get killer performance in return.