In spite of the fact that Advanced Micro Devices already demonstrated a quad-core desktop AMD Phenom microprocessor running at 3.0GHz this Summer, the company may not be able to produce central processing units (CPUs) running even at 2.60GHz this year and therefore will not be able to offer high-performance quad-core chips, some rumours indicate.

Citing information from mainboard makers, DigiTimes web-site reports that Advanced Micro Devices only plans to introduce quad-core AMD Phenom processors at 2.20GHz and 2.30GHz in mid-November, whereas the model that runs at 2.40GHz is only due in December. As a consequence of slower than expected clock-speed ramp, AMD only intends to bring the chips operating at 2.60GHz on the market in 2008. AMD reportedly declined to comment on speculations.

Back in September the world’s second largest maker of x86 central processing units officially promised to bring 2.50GHz server AMD Opteron processor onto the market in December. Even though the chip was projected to feature only 15% performance increase compared to 2.0GHz product, for AMD it is crucial to offer as high performance as possible to recapture both unit and revenue market share it lost to Intel.

“AMD today shows the path to better performing design for demanding data center requirements, again. In fact, here is a proof to you of our 2.50GHz [quad-core] processor that is going to be available in December and what it is going to deliver to the market. […] This chart shows incremental performance that is going to be delivered on top of that existing [2.0GHz] product: you can see 15% performance benefit, 15% performance increase that will be delivered [by] our 2.50GHz product,” said Randy Allen, corporate vice president of server and workstation division at AMD, during the quad-core AMD Opteron launch conference.

The media source reported that due to lower than anticipated performance of the AMD Phenom processors to be announced this year the chips will feature affordable pricing, something, which may attract overclocking enthusiasts. According to the web-site, AMD Phenom 9500, 9600 and 9700 processors will cost from $250 to $320 in business quantities.

Officials from AMD did not comment on the news-story.