Intel unleashes Pentium III

Intel officially announced its upcoming Pentium III microprocessor, which is expected to usher in a new era of PC performance when it appears nextmonth. The Pentium III--formerly known by the code-name Katmai--will beaccompanied by the Pentium III Xeon processor (code-named Tanner), which isdesigned for high-end workstations and servers.

"Around the world, PC users associate the Pentium brand with the highest PCperformance, compatibility and quality available," said Jami Dover, VP ofIntel sales and marketing. "Computer users will be able to instantly recognize the Pentium III processor family as the top performer from Inteland in computer makers' product lines."

The Pentium III will debut at speeds of 450 and 500 MHz, though it will bepriced at approximately the same price as current Pentium II chips. Bymid-year, 600 MHz+ Pentium III systems will arrive