AMD releases Athlon 64 X2 6000+ early

AMD today began shipping the Athlon 64 X2 6000+, its first true 3GHz processor. Although still unannounced by the chip producer, the dual-core CPU leapfrogs the earlier 2.8GHz, 5600+ model to reach the equivalent speed of a 6GHz single-core Pentium 4, according to the company. The chip sports the same 2MB of level two cache used by its highest-end Athlon 64 X2 and Opteron processors. Online retailer Newegg ships the processor today for $599 as an OEM model without a presupplied cooling fan.

The launch reflects the newly accelerated pace of upgrades to AMD's processor line, which has struggled in recent months in the wake of Intel's Core 2 Duo, which is said to outperform much of AMD's line while just short of the 3GHz marker.