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[Processors]

Friday 7th January 2005

AMD throws down challenge to Centrino with Turion chip 10:56AM, Friday 7th January 2005

AMD has signalled it plans to take on Intel in the notebook processor market with a low-power version of its Athlon 64 design for 'thin and light' notebooks. The new range - dubbed Turion - is aimed to go head to head with Intel's Centrino products.

Currently AMD has a mobile version of the Athlon 64 and the budget Sempron range for notbooks although neither is particularly optimised for computing on the move and are seen more as desktop replacement machines. Without giving any technical details, AMD is claiming that the Turion will match the Pentium-M in terms of battery life and performance.

The Turion will not be a total competitor to Centrino as AMD is not planning to launch a chipset and wireless products which together make up the Centrino bundle. AMD has said that the peripheral silicon would be offered from third-party manufacturers

The Turion will become available in the first half of this year. AMD says this does not mean it will be discontinuing its other mobile offerings but will continue to build Athlon 64 mobile and Sempron notebook processors.

Steve Malone

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