Intel Core Duo T2700 to bring VT to Centrino?
Chip maker keeps mum on mobile virtualisation support
By Tony Smith
Published Monday 16th January 2006 16:55 GMT
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Exclusive Intel's Virtualisation Technology (VT) may not come to the mobile market until the chip giant releases the Core Duo 2700, The Register has learned.
According to recent internal retail-oriented documentation seen by The Register, details for the T2300, T2400, T2500 and T2600 Core Duos have VT support listed as TBD - 'To Be Decided'. Only the upcoming Core Duo T2700 has VT checked as a certainty.
So too do the upcoming low-voltage Core Duo L2500 and the ultra-low voltage Core Duo U2500.
At Intel Developer Forum in August 2005, representatives from the chip maker confirmed that the Core Duo and Core Solo processors - then known only by their core's codename, 'Yonah' - would support VT, as would the Yonah-derived low-power Xeon chip, 'Sossaman'.
Indeed, the Intel documentation notes "Intel Virtualisation Technology (VT) planned for 1H '06 introduction starting with Yonah Processors".
At this stage, it's unclear whether that process has begun. The documentation we've seen indicates the current Core Solo chips lack VT, though the feature may make it to the upcoming ultra-low voltage Core Solo U1300 and U1400 processors. Intel's website provides no guidance on the matter, and neither did company officials. They stuck to the party line: VT for Core Duo will appear some time in H1 2006.
All of which suggests VT is in Yonah, but is currently disabled or unable to operate because it's not supported by the latest Centrino chipsets, the 945GM and 945PM. Whether Intel will enable it across the range, or simply ship a few VT-equipped Core Duos - as per the Pentium 4 662 and 672 - remains to be seen. ®
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