Chronology of Microprocessors

Copyright © 2006-2017 Ken Polsson
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URL: https://processortimeline.info/

References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2017 April 29.

2004

January 5
  • Intel releases the 800 MHz, 1.2 GHz, and 1.3 GHz Celeron M processors. They feature 512 kB level 2 cache. The 800 MHz version runs on 1.004 volts, and uses 7 watts of power. The 1.2 and 1.3 GHz versions run on 1.356 volts and use 24.5 watts. Prices are US$161 (800 MHz), US$107 (1.2 GHz), US$134 (1.3 GHz) in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
January 6
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the 2.2 GHz Athlon 64 3400+ processor with 1 MB level 2 cache. Price is US$417 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559] [1601.8,22]
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the Athlon 64 2800+, 3000+, and 3200+ processors for notebook computers. Price is US$193 (2800+) in 1000-unit quantities. [1559] [1604.8]
February 2
  • Intel introduces the 2.8, 3.0, 3.2, and 3.4 GHz Pentium 4 processors, with 800 MHz front-side bus and 1 MB cache. Prices are US$178, US$218, US$278, US$417 respectively, in 1000-unit quantities. [1559] [1602.8]
  • Intel releases the 3.4 GHz Pentium 4 Extreme Edition processor, with 2 MB cache and 800 MHz front-side bus. Price is US$999 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559] [1602.8]
March 17
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the 1.6 GHz Athlon XP-M 2100+ processor for notebook computers. Price is US$97 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
March 18
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the 2.4 GHz Athlon 64 FX-53 processor. It features 128 kB level 1 cache, 1 MB level 2 cache. The processor is manufactured in a 0.13-micron process with 106 million transistors. Price is US$733 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559] [1603.8] [1604.21]
April 7
  • Intel releases the ultra-low-voltage 1.1 GHz Pentium M processor. Power consumption is about 7 watts at just over 1 volt. Price is US$262, in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
  • Intel releases the ultra-low-voltage 900 MHz Celeron M processor. Power consumption is about 7 watts at just over 1 volt. Price is US$161, in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
  • Intel releases the low-voltage 1.3 GHz Pentium M processor. Power consumption is about 12 watts at 1.18 volt. Price is US$284, in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
  • Intel releases the 1.4 GHz Celeron M processor. Power consumption is about 25 watts at 1.36 volt. Price is US$134, in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
April 12
  • Intel releases the 1.4 GHz Itanium 2 processor. It features 3 MB of cache, and is optimized for dual processor servers. Price is US$1172 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
May 10
  • Intel launches the Pentium M 735, 745, and 755, in speeds of 1.7, 1.8, and 2.0 GHz respectively. They feature 2 MB level 2 cache and 400 MHz front-side bus. The processors are manufactured in a 0.90-micron process. Code-name during development was Dothan. [1559] [1605.91]
May 18
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases 2.4 GHz Opteron processor model 250, for servers with two processors. Price is US$851 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
June 1
  • Intel releases Pentium 4 mobile processors, models 518 (2.8 GHz), 532 (3.06 GHz), and 538 (3.2 GHz). They feature Hyper-Threading Technology, 1 MB Level 2 cache. [1559]
  • Intel releases 1.5 GHz Celeron M 340 mobile processor. It features 512 kB Level 2 cache, 400 MHz system bus. [1559]
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the Athlon 64 3500+, 3700+, and 2.4 GHz 3800+ processors. They feature 512 kB level 2 cache. The processors are manufactured in a 0.13-micron process. Prices are US$500, US$710, and US$720, recpestively, in 1000-unit quantities. [1606.8] [1559]
June
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the Socket 754 Sempron processor, and Sempron 3100+ processor. [1686.24]
June 23
  • Intel releases the Pentium M 715 and 725, in speeds 1.5 and 1.6 GHz, respectively. Prices are US$209 and US$241, respectively, in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
June 24
  • Intel releases the Celeron D 320, 325, 330, and 335, with speeds 2.4, 2.53, 2.66, and 2.8 GHz respectively. Prices range from US$69 to US$117 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
June 27
  • Intel releases the Pentium 4 520, 530, 540, 550, and 560 with speeds 2.8, 3.0, 3.2, 3.4, and 3.6 GHz respectively. The processors feature 1 MB cache and 800 MHz front-side bus. Prices are US$178, US$218, US$278, US$417, and US$637, respectively, in 1000-unit quantities. [1607.8]
June 28
  • Intel releases the 32/64-bit Xeon processor, with 800 MHz system bus. Speeds and prices are 3.6 GHz (US$851), 3.4 GHz (US$690), 3.2 GHz (US$455), 3 GHz (US$316), 2.8 GHz (US$209) in 1000-unit quantities. Code-name during development was Nocona. [1559]
April-June
  • Market share of Intel-compatible microprocessors during April-June: Intel 82.5%, Advanced Micro Devices 15.5%. [1559]
July 14
  • Intel releases the 1.5 GHz Pentium M 705 processor. It features 1 MB cache. [1559]
July 18
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the 2.2 GHz Athlon 64 3400+ processor. It features 1 MB cache. Price is US$432 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the 1.6 GHz Athlon XP-M 2200+ processor. It features 512 kB cache. Price is US$97 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
July 20
  • Intel introduces the 1.1 GHz Pentium M Ultra Low Voltage 733 processor. Price is US$262 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
  • Intel introduces the 1 GHz Pentium M Ultra Low Voltage 723 processor. Price is US$241 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
  • Intel introduces the 1.4 GHz Pentium M Low Voltage 738 processor. Price is US$284 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
  • Intel introduces the 900 MHz Celeron M Ultra Low Voltage 353 processor. Price is US$161 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
August
  • Advanced Micro Devices demonstrates its first x86 64-bit 90-namometer dual-core processor. [1610.44]
September
  • In San Francisco, California, the Intel Developer Forum is held. Intel demonstrates a dual-core processor. [1609.102] [1610.43]
July-September
  • Market share of x86 personal computer processors in the USA during July to September: Intel 81.9%, Advanced Micro Devices 15.8%. [1559]
(month unknown)
  • Intel announces it has shipped 50 million Pentium IV processors with Hyper-Threading Technology. [1610.7]
October 5
  • In San Jose, California, the Fall Processor Forum is held. Sun Microsystems announces the UltraSparc IV+ processor. It features dual core, 90 nanometre process, 2 MB shared memory, 32 MB memory per core, speed of 1.8 GHz. The processor is scheduled to be available in mid-2005. Code name during development was Panther. [1559]
October 14
  • Intel announces it has scrapped plans to develop and release a 4 GHz Pentium 4 processor. Instead, it will focus on other ways to boost performance. [1559]
October 19
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the 2.4 GHz Athlon 64 4000+ processor. It features 1 MB cache. Price is US$729 in 1000-unit quantities. [1610.8,17]
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the 2.6 GHz Athlon FX-55 processor. It features 1 MB level 2 cache, 0.13-micron fabrication. Price is US$827 in 1000-unit quantities. [1610.8,17]
October 20
  • Intel releases the 2.1 GHz Pentium M 765 processor for notebook computers. It features 2 MB of cache. The chip is manufactured using a 90-nanometre manufacturing process. Price is US$637 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
November 2
  • Intel releases the 3.46 GHz Pentium 4 Extreme Edition processor. It features 1.066 GHz bus speed, 2 MB cache, and 800 MHz front-side bus. Price is US$999. [1611.16] [1613.8]
November 8
  • Intel announces the 1.6 GHz Itanium 2 processor, with 9 MB high-speed cache memory. Price is US$4226 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
  • Intel releases the 1.3 GHz Itanium 2 processor, with 3 MB high-speed cache memory. Price is US$530 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
November 15
  • Intel releases the 3.8 GHz Pentium 4 570J processor. It features 1 MB cache, 800 MHz front-side bus, and 90 nanometer fabrication. Price is US$637 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559] [1611.16] [1613.8]
November 22
  • Advanced Micro Devices begins shipping the Sempron 3000+ processor for notebook computers. Price is US$134 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
October-December
  • Market share of x86 personal computer processors in the USA during October to December: Intel 82.2%, Advanced Micro Devices 16.6%. [1559]

2005

February 7
  • In San Francisco, California, the International Solid-State Circuits Conference is held, over several days. [1559]
  • At the International Solid-State Circuits Conference in San Francisco, California, engineers from Sony, IBM, and Toshiba reveal specifications for the Cell processor. Sony will use the Cell in its next-generation PlayStation console. The Cell will have a 64-bit IBM Power processor and eight processing units capable of handling separate computing tasks. The processor is expected to run at speeds faster than 4GHz, process 256 billion calculations per second, incorporate 2.5 MB of on-chip memory and have the ability to transfer data to and from off-chip memory at speeds up to 100 gigabytes per second. The chip will incorporate 234 million transistors and be produced using advanced 90-nanometer chipmaking processes. [597] [1614.8,35]
February 21
  • Intel releases the 64-bit Pentium 4 630, 640, 650, and 660 processors. Speeds are 3 GHz, 3.2 GHz, 3.4 GHz, and 3.6 GHz, respectively. They feature 2 MB level 2 cache, 169 million transistors, 135 mm2 die size, 90-nanometre fabrication, Enhanced SpeedStep technology, Execute Disable Bit, EM64T 64-bit extension instructions, 800 MHz front-side bus. Prices are: US$224, US$273, US$401, and US$605, respectively, each in 1000-unit quantities. [1559] [1614.26] [1615.8] [1869.20]
  • Intel releases the 64-bit 3.73 GHz Pentium 4 Extreme Edition processor. It features 2 MB level 2 cache, 169 million transistors, 135 mm2 die size, 90-nanometre fabrication, Enhanced SpeedStep technology, Execute Disable Bit, EM64T 64-bit extension instructions, 1.066 GHz front-side bus. Price is US$999 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559] [1614.26] [1615.8] [1869.20]
(month unknown)
  • Advanced Micro Devices launches the Turion 64 mobile processor. Variations include 35-watt ML-30, ML-32, ML-34, ML-37, and 25-wat MT-30, MT-32, and MT-34. They are manufactured in a 90-namometre SOI technology. Prices range from US$184 to US$354. [1615.8]
January-March
  • Market share of microprocessors worldwide during January to March: Advanced Micro Devices 5.7%. [2094.72]
April 18
  • Intel releases the 3.2 GHz Pentium 4 Extreme Edition 840 processor, with dual cores, each with 1 MB level 2 cache. The processor incorporates 230 million transistors. Price is US$999 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559] [1686.8] [1695.20] [1897.133]
(month unknown)
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the 2 GHz Sempron 3300+ processor. It features 128 kB level 2 cache, SSE3 support, and is manufactured in a 90 nm process. Price is US$127. [1686.24]
May
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the dual-core Opteron processor. [2225.69]
May 22
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the Geode LX800 processor, intended for small computers. It operates at 533 MHz, consumes 0.9 watts, includes encryption engine and 2D graphics, and is x86 processor compatible. Price is US$45, including companion chipset. [1559]
May 26
  • Intel releases the 3.8 GHz Pentium 4 model 670 processor. It features 2 MB cache, 800 MHz front-side bus and 90-nanometre traces. Price is US$849 in 1000 unit quantities. [1784.8]
  • Intel releases the Pentium D processor, models 820, 830, and 840. They feature dual cores, each with 2 MB level 2 cache, 800 MHz front-side bus, EM64T instructions, Enhanced Speed Step Technology, 90 nm process, 230 million transistors, 206 mm2 die size. Speeds and prices in 1000 unit quantities are 2.8 GHz (US$241), 3.0 GHz (US$316), and 3.2 GHz (US$530). [1559] [1687.26] [1784.8]
May 31
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the Athlon 64 x2 Dual-Core 4200+, 4400+, 4600+, and 4800+ processors. Processor speed of the 4200+ and 4400+ is 2.2 GHz; speed of the other two is 2.4 GHz. Cache size of 4200+ and 4600+ is 512 kB; of 4400+ and 4800+ is 1 MB. Prices are US$537, US$581, US$803, US$1001, respectively, in 1000-unit quantities. [1559] [1687.8]
June 6
  • In San Francisco, California, Apple Computer announces it is abandoning the PowerPC processor in favor of Intel processors for Macintosh computers. The first Intel-based Macintosh computers should be on the market by mid-2006, with PowerPC-based computers phased out by the end of 2007. Reasons given for the switch are the lack of a 3 GHz G5 processor, lack of G5 processors for portable computers, and the Intel processor future looks better for Apple computers. [1559] [1867.108] [1877.14] [1911.52] [2329.38]
June 27
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the 2.8 GHz AMD Athlon 64 FX-57 processor. The chip includes 1 MB of level 2 cache. Price is US$1031 in quantities of 1000. [1784.8] [1559]
  • Intel releases the 3.2 GHz Celeron D 351 processor. It features EM64T 64-bit technology, 256 kB cache, and 533 MHz system bus. Price is US$127 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
  • Intel announces the 3.2 GHz Celeron D 350 processor. It features 256 kB cache, and 533 MHz system bus. Price is US$73 in 1000-unit quantities. [1559]
  • Advanced Micro Devices files an antitrust lawsuit against Intel, claiming the company used scare tactics and coercion on 38 companies to not use AMD processors. [1559] [2331.40]
July
  • Intel launches the Core Duo processor, with two internal processing cores. [2195.3]
August 1
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 3800+ processor. Price is US$354 in quantities of 1000. [1559] [1785.10] [1866.20]
August
  • At the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, California, Intel announces it is shifting its traditional focus away from clock speed to a strategy centered on performance per watt of each processor chip. [1692.1]
(month unknown)
  • Advanced Micro Devices releases the 2 GHz Turion 64 MT-37 and 2.2 GHz Turion 64 MT-40 processors. [1786.8]
October
  • Intel ships the dual-core Xeon processor, with Intel Extended Memory 64 Technology. [2225.69]
December 27
  • Intel releases the Pentium 4 processor, models 631 (3 GHz), 641 (3.2 GHz), 651 (3.4 GHz), and 661 (3.6 GHz). Each features 2 MB cache, 800 MHz front-side bus, and 65 nanometer traces. Prices are US$178, US$218, US$273, US$401, respectively, in 1000-unit quantities. [2062.8]
  • Intel releases the Pentium D dual-core processor, models 920 (2.8 GHz), 930 (3 GHz), 940 (3.2 GHz), and 950 (3.4 GHz). Each features 2 MB cache, 800 MHz front-side bus, and 65 nanometer traces. Prices are US$241, US$316, US$423, US$637, respectively, in 1000-unit quantities. [2062.8]
End of 2004-2005. Next: 2006.

1958-1979 1980-1989 1990-1992 1993 1994 1995 1996-1997 1998-1999 2000 2001
2002 2003 2004-2005 2006-end


A list of references to all source material is available.

Other web pages of interest:

  • Chronology of Personal Computers
  • This Day in Personal Computer and Video Game History
  • This Day in History
    • Last updated: 2017 April 29.
    Copyright © 2006-2017 Ken Polsson (email: ).
    URL: https://processortimeline.info/
    Link to Ken P's home page.