Chipmaker Advanced Micro Designs (AMD) Tuesday announced its transition to 65nm process technology with the launch of its new energy-efficient Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processors.

 

The new processors are designed to deliver enhanced performance when running multiple applications, and to do so in a small form factor ideal for both home and office environments.

 

AMD said in its announcement that 65nm process technology lets the company “produce more processors on a 300mm wafer, for increased production capacity, while continuing to aggressively scale performance and reduce power consumption.”

 

The move is expected to help AMD stay competitive by enabling intelligent scaling to meet worldwide demand for x86 processors. Conversion to 65nm product is expected to be complete by mid-2007 at AMDs Fab 36 facility.

 

“Customers continue to demand solutions that focus on low-power consumption and quieter operation,” AMD’s corporate vice president, Bob Brewer, explained in a statement. “AMD is responding by increasing manufacturing efficiency to deliver on the next generation of energy-efficient desktop processors, enabling OEMS to innovate using highly reliable AMD64 processors and without compromising performance.”

Among the OEMs that plan offer systems with AMD Athlon 64 X2 chips, starting in the first quarter of 2007, are Acer, Dell (News - Alert), Founder, Gateway, HP, Lenovo, Packard Bell, and TongFang.

 

Acer IT Products President Jim Wong explained that AMD’s new chips will help the company deliver cutting-edge, dependable systems designed to enhance the efficiency and productivity of customers.

 

“Our Aspire family of high-performing desktop systems with the new energy efficient AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processors can enable powerful and cooler computing experiences that help break the barriers between people and technology,” Wong said in a statement.

 

Vivek Mohindra, Vice President of Dell’s desktop product marketing division, said that the company is committed to delivering innovative technology to customers, and choosing AMD’s new chips is part of that mission.  

”With the new energy-efficient AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processors, Dell OptiPlex and Dimension desktops can provide customers breadth of choice and personalized, dual-core performance and power efficiency to meet their office productivity or entertainment needs,” Mohindra said in a statement.

HP senior product manager Shagorika Dixit also spoke about the need to stay on top of industry-leading technology as it becomes available.

 

“With the next generation of energy-efficient desktop processors from AMD, HP can continue to proactively develop energy-saving solutions for a variety of affordable, environmentally-friendly desktop products to help consumers and business customers reduce energy costs,” Dixit commented in a statement.

 

AMD’s Athlon chips also got rave reviews from Semiconductor Insights (SI), a company that bills itself as a technical advisor to the microelectronics industry. SI analyzed the new processors, and then handed AMD a 2006 INSIGHT Award for Most Innovative Process Technology.

”Our analysis of the device has confirmed that the 65nm AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor, produced at AMD Fab 36, uses minimum gate lengths of 35nm, nine copper and one aluminum metal levels, strained silicon channel and a Silicon on Insulator (SOI) substrate,” SI analyst Don Scansen said in a statement. “Put altogether, it is an impressive technology package.”

 

Below is a table that summarizes basic pricing details for the new Athlon chips. Complete details are available at www.amd.com/pricing.

 

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