In a bid to increase competitiveness of its microprocessor lineup as well as to make computers based on a number of next-generation chips more energy efficient, Advanced Micro Devices will introduce a number of low-power desktop chips in Q1 2008, according to sources close to the company.

AMD will offer three at least three models of dual-core AMD Phenom X2 processors with 45W thermal design power, sources close to AMD indicated. The new AMD Phenom X2 chips based on the new micro-architecture from the chipmaker will not have high TDP, though, they are projected to offer performance levels inline or higher with today’s dual-core AMD Athlon 64 X2 products with decreased power consumption.

The new dual-core AMD Phenom X2 processors with 45W power consumption are AMD Phenom X2 GE-6600 (2.3GHz, 512KB L2 per core, 2MB shared L3), GE-6500 (2.1GHz, 512KB L2 per core, 2MB shared L3) and GE-6400 (1.9GHz, 512KB L2 per core, 2MB shared L3). All of the chips are scheduled for introduction in Q1 2008, according to sources. The company is also expected to release AMD Phenom X2 GS-6650 (2.2 – 2.6GHz, 512KB L2 per core, 2MB shared L3) and AMD Phenom X2 GS-6550 (2.0 – 2.4GHz, 512KB L2 per core, 2MB shared L3) with 65W TDP in early Q1 2008 and late Q4 2008, respectively. There will also be AMD Phenom X2 GP-6800 microprocessor with up to 2.80GHz clock-speed and 89W thermal spec in the first quarter of next year.

Advanced Micro Devices has been consistent in its attempts to lower power consumption of its chips from 89W to 65W and from 65W to 45W. Already in the third quarter of the year AMD will have five dual-core chips with 45W TDP and a number of single-core offerings with similar thermal specs, which is an indicator that the chipmaker is pretty serious about offering low-power desktop solutions.

Power consumption of x86 chips used in the vast majority of desktops, laptops and servers has always been important, though, not really critical peculiarity of such microprocessors. Despite of the fact that the consumer still watches for highest performance, in the recent years many end-users started to pay much more attention to visual look of their computers as well as low acoustic levels, which catalyzed developers of CPUs and other main components of PCs to design hardware that would comply to their customers’ demands.