Intel has abandoned the codenames Conroe (the desktop version) and Merom (the notebook version) for its upcoming next-generation processors. The new name is Core 2 Duo.

This piece of news was released by Reuters, but it was not confirmed by Intel. The presence of new logos suggests the story is credible.

To make the difference between Conroe and Merom, Intel will use numbers for every chip. Conroe will metamorphose in 4000 to 6000 series, and Merom in 5000 to 7000 series, depending on their speed. The lesser numerical range represents single-core parts. The gamer-friendly version of Conroe will ship as the ‘Core 2 Extreme’.

The 4200 model will run at 1.6GHz, and the fastest 6700 model at 2.66GHz.

For Conroe series, the number will be prefixed by an ‘E’ to signify a power consumption of 50W or higher. The mobile chips will be prefixed with U, L or T, depending on their power consumption: T for 25-49W, L for 15-24W and U for under 14W.

The Conroe processor will have a performance per Watt rating three times higher than the Pentium D 960. The Merom processor will have 2.5x more performance per Watt than the Pentium M 1.6GHz.

Last month, Intel states Conroe will ship in July, and Merom in August.

Woodcrest, the server processor, scheduled to arrive in June, does not appear in Reuters’ news. No time for a new re-branding?