Intel Shifts Pentium 4 to 64-Bits
Intel shifted the majority of its Pentium 4 processors to 64-bit capability over the weekend.Intel shifted the majority of its Pentium 4 processors to 64-bit capability over the weekend. Intel quietly introduced the Intel 5x1 series, which shifts the existing 775-pin, 32-bit Pentium 4 lineknown as the 5xx seriesto 64-bit memory addressing.
For customers, all this means is that Intel is encouraging its customers to buy 64-bit chips instead of the older 32-bit Pentium 4s; save for the 64-bit capability, the new 5x1 series is identical to the older 32-bit Pentium 4s, and priced identically. The unspoken message is that a customer will receive 64-bit capability for free.