about how many processor cores Larrabee will have. Nvidia's and ATI's most powerful GPUs have hundreds of cores. Larrabee is unlikely to have as many, since it is based on the more powerful x86 processor, the same that's used in CPUs.

Otellini shed only a little more light Tuesday, saying Larrabee will come in multiple versions, with less expensive versions having fewer cores.

Otellini denied that Larrabee chips have been turning out bulkier than expected. Bulky chips tend to require more electricity for cooling, and also can't perform as fast. That could put off the third-party graphics card makers who would be the market for Larrabee.

Larrabee GPUs that have been publicly shown so far are "high-end...extreme versions, I'll put it that way," Otellini said.

Otellini did not say when he expected graphic cards with Larrabee would begin shipping.