Advanced
Micro Devices has released a pair of dual-core Athlon processors
for mainstream desktops as the chip maker prepares to roll out 45-nanometer
microprocessors for PCs in early 2009.
AMD released the two Athlon processors Dec.
15. The first chip is the AMD X2
7750 "Black Edition" processor, which is unlocked but has a
listed clock speed of 2.7GHz. The second processor, which is also called the AMD
X2 7750, has a clock speed of 2.5GHz, but this CPU is only available only to the
company's OEM partners.
The two Athlon processors each offer 512KB of Level 2 cache with each
processing core and 2MB of L3 cache that both cores share. The processors are
part of AMD's "Cartwheel" platform
that the chip maker released earlier in 2008 for mainstream desktops. The
platform also includes AMD's 780G chip set
and its ATI Radeon 3200 integrated graphics.
While AMD listed the Black Edition Athlon
processor at $79, the company did not release a price for the other processor.
This will likely be one of the last times that AMD
will offer new CPUs based on its older, 65-nanometer manufacturing process. In
November, AMD
released its "Shanghai" processor for server systems that is built on
newer, 45-nm technology.
In 2009, AMD
is expected to release a number of 45-nm processors for desktops and then later
for laptops. AMD recently showed off its 45-nm Phenom II processor at an
overclocking contest for gamers and PC enthusiasts. That processor is expected
to appear for sale around the time of CES, in January 2009.
In addition to the Phenom II chip, AMD
will roll out a 45-nm desktop processor called "Kodiak" in 2009. A
45-nm laptop processor, "Tigris," will follow later. Besides these processors
for mainstream desktops, AMD plans to offer a new platform for corporate clients
in 2009 as well.
/ 4 
Desktops and Notebooks News & Reviews 
