The fastest Pentium 4 runs at 1. 5 GHz, or 300 megahertz faster. And this chip is only going to get faster. Analysts say that once Intel makes a shift in its manufacturing processes, the chip will likely reach speeds of 2 GHz or more by the end of next year. As the transistors get smaller, chip designers can pack more transistors on a chip for more computing power. They also also help fight off the dual enemies of chip performance, heat and power consumptions.
Smaller transistors allow the chip to drink up less electrical power and to run cooler.
Five years from now, it won't be surprising to talk about Intel chips running at 10 GHz. But it's not a completely smooth road ahead for Intel. Once it works with the cheaper memory chips, the total cost for computers with Pentium 4 will drop. But for the meantime, Pentium 4 will not make it into mainstream computers until late 2001. But give Intel and its partners time.