What you need to know
- Intel will shift the branding for its entry-level processors.
- Pentium and Celeron chips will now fall under the new "Intel Processor" brand.
- Affordable devices such as the Surface Go and Surface Laptop SE run on Pentium and Celeron CPUs.
Intel just announced a branding shift for its entry-level CPUs. The company is doing away with the Pentium and Celeron brands and placing those chips under a new umbrella called "Intel Processor." The aim of the rebrand is to make it easier to purchase a PC that fits a person's needs. Intel won't have to educate customers on what a Celeron processor is. Instead, shoppers will just pick PCs based on major CPU categories, such as Intel Core or Intel Processor.
It's easy to get caught up on the best CPUs and high-end specs, but quite a few devices feature modest internals. For example, Microsoft's Surface Laptop SE has models with Intel Celeron CPUs, and the Surface Go lineup features Pentium chips in some variants. Now, those Celeron and Pentium chips will fall under the same brand.
Josh Newman, Intel vice president and interim general manager of Mobile Client Platforms, explained the change:
"Whether for work or play, the importance of the PC has only become more apparent as the torrid pace of technological development continues to shape the world. Intel is committed to driving innovation to benefit users, and our entry-level processor families have been crucial for raising the PC standard across all price points. The new Intel Processor branding will simplify our offerings so users can focus on choosing the right processor for their needs."
Intel Processor will replace the Pentium and Celeron branding in 2023 notebooks.
In its post announcing the change, Intel explained that "this update streamlines brand offerings across PC segments to enable and enhance Intel customer communication on each product’s value proposition, while simplifying the purchasing experience for customers."
