X-bit labs

AMD Delivers 64-bit Processors for Notebooks.

Category: Mobile

by Anton Shilov

[ 01/07/2004 | 11:40 PM ]

AMD yesterday released its new Mobile Athlon 64 processors designed specifically for notebook systems that work on battery power. The new products compliment existing line of AMD64 CPUs for desktop replacement portable computers unveiled in September 2003.

64-bit microprocessors for notebooks from AMD are available in three flavors depending on performance level in general and clock-speed in particular; these are models 2800+, 3000+ and 3200+ functioning at 1.60GHz, 1.80GHz and 2.0GHz respectively. The CPUs have 1MB of full-speed on-die L2 cache and single-channel DDR SDRAM memory controller, like the majority of other AMD Athlon 64 processors in 754-pin packaging.

Even though AMD positions its new chips for the market of extremelly powerful notebooks, thermal design power of Mobile AMD Athlon 64 processors is 62W – really lot for mobile central processing units. Thanks to PowerNow! technology, the chips will consume significantly less electricity under typical load.

Mobile AMD Athlon 64 processors are made using 0.13 micron Silicon-on-Insulator technology in AMD Fab 30, Dresden, Germany.

Given that thinner manufacturing process would allow Sunnyvale, California-based chipmaker to substantially reduce power and thermal envelopes of its microprocessors, the Mobile AMD64 chips in their current version will live on the market for a number of months and will be substituted by code-named Odessa CPUs in the second half of the year. The latter mobile processors will also live on for some six months, as already in the first half of 2005, “Oakville” 90nm processor will be there to serve the same performance-mobile segment, according to the currently available roadmap.

Mobile Athlon 64 processors are available now for notebook makers at $193, $233 and $293 for models 2800+, 3000+ and 3200+ respectively in business quantities.