Intel has announced the arrival of its first quad-core notebook processor. The 45nm Penryn-based QX9300 will run at 2.53 GHz, with 12 MB of L2 cache and a 1066 MHz front side bus, and will be aimed at the extreme performance market. The QX9300 will have a TDP of 45W - 10W higher than the recommended maximum for notebook PC's - but because this CPU will only be available in high end 15" to 17" (or larger) laptops, the excess heat is not expected to be a problem. This CPU will be compatible with Intel's Centrino 2 platform, sporting NAND flash-memory caching, support for DDR2 and DDR3 RAM, and DisplayPort technology. Look for the QX9300 to make its debut in Q3 2008.