AMD unveils MCUs for energy-efficient desktop

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) rolls a half-dozen more microprocessors that the company claims are best suited for smaller, energy-efficient desktops.

The new products include one dual-core and five single-core 45W processors made for computer manufacturers or system builders working on business or consumer desktops that meet the latest requirements for energy-efficient certification by the Environmental Protection Agency. Because the chips use less power, they require less cooling, making the processors candidates for smaller desktops.

The processors include the dual-core Athlon X2 BE-2400 at 2.3GHz for Rs.4,206.62 ($104); the Athlon LE-1620 and LE-1600 at 2.4GHz and 2.2GHz for Rs.2,143.76 ($53) and Rs.1,901.07 ($47), respectively; and the Sempron LE-1250, LE-1200, and LE-1100 at 2.2GHz, 2.1GHz, and 1.9GHz for Rs.2,143.76 ($53), Rs.1,941.52 ($48), and Rs.1,496.59 ($37), respectively. All pricing is for batches of 1,000 units.

The latest products follow AMD's introduction of three low-power Athlon 64 processors to its embedded product lineup. The Athlon 64 2000+, 2600+, and 3100+ feature maximum power consumption of 8, 15, and 25W, respectively. The chips are made for network-attached storage systems, advanced mezzanine cards used in telecommunications, and various single board computing and industrial implementations.

On the higher end of AMD's product line, the company recently unveiled its second Black Edition processor, a lower-priced dual-core gaming chip aimed at enthusiasts. The Athlon 64 X2 processor 5000+ Black Edition is available with a customisable clock multiplier, enabling amateurs and enthusiasts to maximise the performance of their desktop computers. For upgrading machines, Black Edition processors can be combined with the AIT Radeon HD 2000 series graphics processor and the AMD 580x or upcoming AMD 700 series chipsets. The latest Black Edition's pricing starts at Rs.5,500.97 ($136) in batches of 1,000 units.

AMD in September also introduced its first quad-core processor, code-named Barcelona.The new server chip, which is under the Opteron product line, competes with Intel's Xeon quad-core, which was released last year.

- Antone Gonsalves
InformationWeek