AMD expanded its portfolio of mobile Athlon chips in its
quest to unseat Intel’s Centrino, the company said Monday.
The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based semiconductor maker said its new
Mobile AMD Athlon 64 processor 3000+ will be marketed for thin and light notebooks, and
is the first new processor model manufactured with AMD’s 90-nanometer
production process.
The chip also includes the wireless LAN trifecta of 802.11a/b/g. Unlike
Intel , which recently added
all three versions of the Wi-Fi spectrum under one chipset, AMD has included 802.11g radios
in its chipsets since June 2003.
Priced at $241 in 1,000-unit quantities, the low-voltage chip also offers
Enhanced Virus Protection (EVP) designed to prevent the spread of certain
malicious viruses when enabled by Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2).
The processor also has 64-bit capability, HyperTransport technology, and
AMD’s PowerNow! extended system battery technology.
Already, computer maker Acer has upgraded its popular Ferrari 3400 brand
notebook with the new Mobile AMD Athlon 64 processor 3000+. The notebook is
expected to be available from Acer in Europe this month, with
worldwide availability to follow in October.
“In much the same way that the Ferrari race team continues to dominate
Formula 1 racing, AMD again outpaces the field with our latest 32/64-bit
processor for high-performance notebook PCs,” Marty Seyer, AMD corporate
vice president and general manager, said in a statement.
While Intel continues to dominate the wireless notebook market with sales
of its Centrino-based chips and chipsets, AMD is focusing on its core
philosophy of attracting enthusiasts with a better mousetrap.
“Consumers and business professionals who refuse to compromise power for
mobility will be excited by the combination of performance, security and
64-bit capability under the hood of the new Acer Ferrari brand notebook,” Seyer added. “AMD
believes that AMD64 processor-based notebooks with EVP and SP2 offer one of
the most secure notebook platforms in the industry.”
