An Overview Of Sonoma

Peaz featured the newly-launched technology in an earlier Intel Sonoma Mobile Platform Review, but here’s an overview.

The new Centrino mobile technology (codenamed Sonoma) comprise of a new 533MHz Pentium M processor, the Mobile Intel 915 Express chipset family (codenamed Alviso), and Intel PRO/Wireless 2915ABG wireless LAN components.

Intel Pentium M processor

Mobile Intel 915 Express chipset

Intel PRO/Wireless 2915ABG wireless LAN adapter

The new chipset not only offers optimised power and reduced size, but it also has an enhanced graphics solution via the new Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 graphics core, a power-optimised 533MHz front-side bus, support for DDR2 memory modules and also PCI Express graphics interface.

Not only that, if chosen to be enabled by the notebook manufacturers, the Sonoma platform can also deliver high quality audio and entertainment capability using the Intel High Definition Audio with Dolby Digital and 7.1 surround sound.

All these technologies claimed to be built from the ground-up, with mobile computing in mind, thus featuring all the power-saving capabilities such as the Display Power Saving Technology v2.0, support for lower-power DDR2 memory and Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology.

You can read more about the Sonoma platform in our earlier review by Peaz here.

Pricing and Availability

The new Centrino mobile technology's pricing includes the Mobile Intel 915PM or 915GM Express chipset; Intel PRO/Wireless 2195ABG or 2200BG network connections; and the Intel Pentium M processors at speeds ranging from 1.60GHz to 2.13GHz. Prices range from US$270 to US$705 in 1000-unit quantities.

There's also the lower-powered range using the Mobile Intel 915GMS Express chipset, a low-voltage Intel Pentium M processor 758 at 1.50GHz, or an ultra-low-voltage Intel Pentium M processor 753 at 1.20GHz. These prices represent the cost of all the three components that make up Intel's Centrino mobile technology.

Intel also sells each device separately with the individual pricing posted on Intel's website.