Intel on Monday announced that it has begun production of its first dual-core processors, and revealed plans to deliver two separate Pentium-class products in the second quarter.

The new processors are designed with two processor cores in a single chip. The first dual-core products will be a Pentium 4 and a Pentium Extreme Edition. The Extreme Edition processor will include hyperthreading technology, which lets the device process four software "threads" simultaneously, according to Intel.

The two processors are the first of many multicore processors that Intel has planned. Intel has more than 10 multicore projects under way, Robert Cooke, VP of Intel's Desktop Platforms Group, said in a statement. "In addition to our products, we're investing heavily to further prepare the industry for the shift to multi-core computing platforms," Cooke said.

The Pentium Extreme Edition will be combined with a new chipset named the 955X Express chipset, which was formerly code-named Glenwood. That chipset will feature high-definition audio, PCI-Express, and faster dual-channel DDR-2 memory.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. also has announced it will introduce dual-core processors for the server and workstation markets by midyear, and for the PC market in the second half of 2005.