Intel, the worlds largest chip manufacturer, has just revealed its plans for upcoming processors. The marketing folks at Intel figured the current naming scheme was too confusing and is now going for a complete overhaul.

The Core i7 brand will include the fastest processors, including the current ones using the LGA1366 socket and upcoming Lynnfield on LGA1156. Basically, every quad core processor with HyperThreading and Turbo enabled falls into the i7 line.

However, that's not it. Some of the high end mobile parts sporting the Clarkfield core will also carry the Core i7 name. In fact, the dual and quad core variants with HT and Turbo enabled will join the series.

It makes sense, everything with both HT and Turbo enabled is an i7, but having two different desktop sockets and three architecture derivatives in the same series seems rather confusing -- Core i5 is much easier to comprehend; it'll simply include desktop Lynnfield and mobile Clarkfield chips with HT disabled, but Turbo enabled. Most of the mainstream desktop and mobile chips should fall into this category.

Finally, Core i3 grabs the Lynnfield and Clarkfield processors with HT and Turbo disabled. Those should offer good performance at an affordable price tag.

Basically, the Core line will be Intel's performance processors, while the Pentium, Celeron and Atom brands will remain for the entry level market and netbooks.

Current Core 2 Duo and Quad parts will be phased out as time passes. Also, the Centrino platform will shift off their path to instead simply represent WiFi and WiMax products.

Intel thinks this new naming convention is much less confusing for the consumer. Do you?