Advanced Micro Devices on Wednesday announced new mobile processors as it tries to bridge the power and performance gap with Intel, while trying to lower laptop prices.
The company’s new processors include its first triple-core and quad-core laptop processors as part of a new Phenom II line, which will boost application performance while reducing power consumption, AMD officials said.Mainstream laptops mostly come with dual-core chips, and adding cores brings more performance to users at lower prices.
The three quad-core and two triple-core Phenom II processors run at speeds between 1.6GHz and 2.3GHz and draw between 25 watts and 45 watts of power. The chips will be available in laptops from vendors including Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Lenovo starting later this month.
AMD also announced low-voltage Athlon II Neo and Turion II Neo processors for ultrathin laptops that run at speeds between 1.3GHz and 1.7GHz. The processors come in single-core and dual-core variants and draw between 12 watts and 15 watts of power.
The new laptop chips are an attempt by AMD to improve its weak market position and gain ground on Intel. AMD held a 12.1 percent market share in the first quarter of 2010 compared to 15 percent in the first quarter of 2009, according to IDC. Intel was the leader, holding an 87.8 percent laptop microprocessor market share in the first quarter of 2010, compared to the 84.3 percent market share from a year ago.
PC makers including Hewlett-Packard and Dell said Intel’s package of chips facilitate longer battery life and better performance, but AMD’s new chips provide better graphics and bang-for-the-buck with performance relative to price. Meanwhile, AMD has taken big steps to close the gap with Intel, executives from the PC makers said.
Laptops with AMD chips could be typically around 15 to 20 percent cheaper than Intel-based laptops, Bugos said. HP’s new laptops include ProBook 4325s, 4425s and 4525s laptops, which are priced starting at US$619 and will come with screens ranging from 13.3 inches to 15.6 inches. The HP ProBook 6445b, and 6555b laptops will be priced starting at $779, and will come between 14-inch and 15.6-inch screens.
Dell announced new Inspiron laptops based on AMD chips including the M301z and the M501R models, which will be available with ATI integrated graphics. The laptops will offer storage of up to 640GB and support up to 8GB of memory. The M301z will come with a 13.3-inch display and include processors up to AMD’s dual-core Turion II Neo K625 processor, which runs at 1.5GHz. The laptop will be available in a few weeks in Europe, Japan and China. The M501R will come with a 15.6-inch screen and include up to AMD’s quad-core processors. It will be available later this year in Europe and the U.S.
Lenovo launched the IdeaPad Z565 laptop that will include AMD’s new chips. The laptop comes with a 15.6-inch screen, and provides four hours of battery life with a AMD Turion II N530 dual-core processor and a six-cell battery.
Intel is also doing a lot better than AMD in addressing the market for low-power chips used in tablet computers, smartphones and netbooks. Those areas are small but growing fast.
The AMD versus Intel battle is a hot topic in the computing industry that has been fiercely discussed for many years. However, there has never been a clear winner, and it looks like it is just going to run and run. AMDvsIntel.co.uk has a series of articles discussing various aspects of this fascinating debate.
The AMD versus Intel battle is a hot topic in the computing industry that has been fiercely discussed for many years. However, there has never been a clear winner, and it looks like it is just going to run and run. AMDvsIntel.co.uk has a series of articles discussing various aspects of this fascinating debate.