While originally Intel planned to offer 3.60GHz processors for PGA478 platforms, some sources now report about absence of such chips in the firm’s plans. The last and final play for Socket 478 will be 3.40GHz Intel Pentium 4 processors with 1MB or 512KB of L2 cache.

All Intel Pentium 4 processors starting from 3.60GHz will come in LGA775 packaging and will not be compatible with existing Socket 478 infrastructure. For the latter, the Santa Clara, California-based CPU maker will offer Pentium 4 “Northwood” 3.40GHz processors with 512KB L2 cache and 800MHz Quad Pumped Bus as well as Pentium 4 “Prescott” 3.40GHz processors with 1MB L2 and 800MHz PSB.

It is not fully clear why Intel decided to cancel 478-pin Pentium 4 “Prescott” processors 3.60GHz provided that some mainboards were capable of supporting the chip which dissipates up to 103W of heat.

According to certain estimations, there will be 8%, 32% and 45% of LGA775 processors in Intel’s desktop lineup in Q2, Q3 and Q4 respectively. Obviously, a substantial part of such chips will be top-end Pentium 4 processors at first.