Although immediate plans only include server products, it's clear that pressure put by competitor AMD, forced the chip giant to announce 32/64-bit supporting technology way before than scheduled. The fact that Intel will be adding 64-bit to the same P4/Prescott core means that it could bring the technology to the desktop market at any time.

Nocona processors for two-processor servers will arrive in the second quarter, Barrett said, followed quickly by Prescott processors with 32/64-bit capability for single-processor servers and workstations. Prescott and Nocona are functionally the same processor but differ in cache size and bus speed. The 32/64-bit technology will then come to chips for servers with four or more processors in 2005, Barrett added. (Technically, the chips are code-named Nocona and Prescott, and the 32/64-bit capability goes by the code name Clackamas.)

Read more: CNet News.