AMD Low-Power A64

AMD this morning updated its Athlon 64 with chips at both the high and low ends of the spectrum. Most signficant, says the company, are its new low-power, single-core Athlon 64 3500+ and 3800+ chips. These are the first-ever AMD chips to be made on a 65-nanometer process and consume only 45W of power on average, lower still than Intel's Core 2 Duo desktop models. The reduced power not only saves money, but also lets the CPU fit into small form factor PCs without noisy cooling fans. AMD is already shipping either model at prices of $88 and $93 in bulk.

Topping the mainstream chip line is the Athlon 64 X2 6000+. Although inadvertently released in advance last month, the dual-core chip is AMD's first 3GHz processor and carries 2MB of level 2 cache spread across both cores. The semiconductor firm is delivering its flagship X2 model in bulk today at $464, though retail pricing should be set at $599. This and both low-power CPUs will be available immediately in desktops from Alienware, Fujitsu, Systemax and Voodoo PC.

By Electronista Staff