Intel prepping an update for dual core Celeron SU2300 CPU

There’s a new hierarchy emerging in the ultraportable PC space: Today’s netbooks tend to have 10 inch or smaller screens, cost less than $400, and have Intel Atom or VIA Nano processors. The new class of “thin and light” computers have 11 to 12 inch displays, AMD Neo, NVIDIA ION, or Intel CULV chipsets. And they tend to cost between $500 and $600.

But there are a few models that straddle the line between netbook and T&L computers. For example, there’s the Acer Aspire 1410, which sells for just $399, putting it in the same price range as netbooks. With an 11.6 inch display, it’s also not much larger than a netbook, but it features something few netbooks have: a dual core processor.

The 1.2GHz Intel Celeron SU2300 is the cheapest dual core CPU in the Intel CULV line, but it’s still much more powerful than a typical Atom CPU, and allows for HD video playback and other CPU and GPU-intensive tasks that would choke most netbooks.

Now Fudzilla is reporting that Intel plans to update the SU2300. There’s pretty much zero information available on what kind of update we’ll see, but Fudzilla suggests that the new chips will likely be based on Intel’s Montevina or Calpella platform.

There’s no word on whether the new chips will drive up prices of low-cost T&L computers like the Acer Aspire 1410 in order to help differentiate them from lower priced, lower performance netbooks. But I certainly hope not.