As expected, Intel introduced three models of the Pentium D on Thursday: the 2.8-GHz Pentium D 820, the 3.0-GHz Pentium D 830, and the 3.2-GHz Pentium D 840. The three chips are priced at $241, $316, and $530, in lots of 1,000 units.
Intel also introduced the Pentium 4 670, a 3.8-GHz 64-bit chip that will round out the top end of its single-core platform, at $851.
Compared to the AMD Athlon X2, however, Intel"s new Pentium D offers a dramatic discount. AMD"s slowest 2.2-GHz 4200+ Athlon X2 is priced at $537, while the slowest Intel Pentium D, the 2.8-GHz 820, is priced at $241. Intel also offers a premium dual-core part, the Pentium 4 Extreme Edition, priced at $999. AMD has yet to update its microprocessor pricing page with the price of the X2, although executives have quoted those prices in briefings.