AMD revs up new notebook engines

 

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By Alun Williams

Posted on 17 Jun 2003 at 11:28

AMD has announced three new mobile Athlon XP-M processors: the 2800+ and two low-voltage models, the 2000+ and 1900+.

While the 2800+ is aimed at desktop-replacement notebooks, the low-voltage offerings are targeted at thinner and lighter laptops. As of today, Time will be using the 2800+ in its Time Traveller 'AR' series. And Fujitsu will be the first, in the US, to use the low-voltage versions, which will appear in its LifeBook S2000 notebooks. Expect the likes of Acer, NEC and HP to follow suit.

The new top-of-the-range 2800+ is priced at $230, with the 2000+ and 1900+ at $134 and $123, respectively. Pricing for existing processors has remained unchanged. As always, such prices are based on 1,000-unit tray quantities.

With all the 'Barton'-based models featuring 512Kb of L2 cache (640Kb total on-chip cache), AMD is emphasising the performance of the chips. And note that - for wireless connectivity - the new processors can support 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g standards. Intel's latest mobile technology - to receive full Centrino branding - works with 802.11b only.

To avoid what it dubs the 'megahertz myth', however, AMD does not provide exact details of the processor operating frequency. The highest performing mobile processor from Intel went past the 3GHz barrier last week - Intel pushes Mobile Pentium 4 past 3GHz.