Advanced Micro Devices may introduce its new processors that support DDR2 memory earlier than expected and earlier than it announced to partners, according to media reports. However, the launch in mid-May possibly will be formal with actual availability staying at a later timeframe.

Taiwanese mainboard makers cited by HKEPC web-site indicated that AMD plans to make global announcement of its new processors in AM2 form-factor that bring in support for DDR2 memory and increased performance on the 23^rd of May, 2006, instead of the first day of Computex Taipei 2006 exhibition which kicks off on the 6^th of June, 2006.

Earlier AMD indicated that its processors for socket AM2 infrastructure will begin production on April 30, 2006 and will start channel orders on May 15, 2006. The actual embargo date was set on June 6, 2006, which some believed to be a bad sign.

It is yet unclear whether on the 23^rd of May the Sunnyvale, California-based chipmaker plans to announce the processors formally and start revenue shipments, or to claim availability for end users. Historically AMD announced processors when it could start shipping them to its partners, whereas its arch-rival Intel Corp. unveiled chips only when the final users could obtain them.

Unofficial sources also indicated that AMD hopes to deliver 1.5 million of its processors for socket AM2 infrastructure in the second quarter of 2006. Mainboard makers were originally recommended to be in position to ship platforms for the AM2 chips two to three weeks ahead of actual chips supplies, which may exclude possibility of mainboards undersupplies during the initial ramp up.

Advanced Micro Devices plans to unveil a whole range of is chips for the new AM2 platform, including dual-core and single-core processors, such as AMD Athlon 64, Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64 FX and AMD Sempron with DDR2 memory support. For Sunnyvale, California-based chipmaker the highlighters of the product launch are expected to be the Athlon 64 FX-62 and Athlon 64 X2 5000+ processors that will support dual-channel DDR2 memory.

Originally it was expected that AMD’s Athlon 64-series processors in new socket AM2 will only officially support DDR2 667MHz  (PC2-5300) memory modules, but will be capable of working with 800MHz memory as well, but “unofficially”. But recently it was reported that the new Athlon 64 processors in AM2 form-factor will be able to work with high-speed 800MHz (PC2-6400) DDR2 memory legitimately.