AMD 780G integrated DirectX10.1 chipset

AMD’s 700-series chipsets covers all the motherboard options that a gamer could require for the quad-core Phenom processor. There’s the 790FX with support for CrossFireX to handle three or four graphics cards, the 790X that does CrossFire with two cards, and the 770 that combines Phenom with a single PCI Express (PCIe) 2.0 slot.

And now for those members of the buying public who don’t play games all the time there’s the new 780G. The G suffix indicates that this chipset includes an integrated graphics core, though it has a PCIe 2.0 slot too.

AMD and Intel going to cut desktop processor price

AMD cut prices of desktop processors, almost 30 per cent off what it charges for its gaming, mainstream and budget CPUs, as expected. Still, an much-anticipated move to drop single-core chips from the line-up did not take place.

From the top down, AMD cut the price of the 3GHz Athlon 64 FX-74 from $799 to $599, a drop of 25 per cent. The dual-core FX-72's price remains unchanged, at $599, but the remainder of AMD's dual-core desktop CPUs, the Athlon 64 X2 line, all became cheaper by between 29.8 per cent and 15.4 per cent.

Pruned from the list: the X2 3600+ and the X2 3800+. In their place come a 65W 4200+ and an 89W 4200+, in both Socket AM2 and Socket 939 forms.

The single-core Athlon 64 series, which some websites were last week alleging were for the chop today, all saw $10-15 knocked off their prices, making for cuts of 12.7-17.2 per cent. One of the three 3500+ that appear on AMD's previous public price list now no longer appears: the "energy efficient" version aimed at small form-factor systems.

That still leaves an energy efficient 3500+ on the list, but the energy efficient Sempron chips also offered for small form-factor systems are gone. The remaining desktop Semprons saw their prices fall from between 11.9 per cent and 23.2 per cent.

AMD's cuts come ahead of arch-rival Intel's next round of price reductions, expected to take place on 22 July - on which date the chip giant is also expected to roll out revised Core 2 Duo and other desktop processors that up the maximum frontside bus speed to 1333MHz.

AMD Details Next-Generation Platform for Notebook PCs...

—“Puma” platform to deliver architectural enhancements to improve performance and increase battery life —

Tokyo, Japan -- May 18, 2007 --At a press conference in Tokyo, Japan, AMD (NYSE: AMD) today officially disclosed more details of its next-generation open platform for notebook computing. Codenamed “Puma,” the platform is designed to deliver battery life, graphics and video processing enhancements and improved overall system performance for an enhanced visual experience. The “Puma” platform is expected to build on the successful launches of the AMD M690 mobile chipset and 65nm process-based AMD Turion™ 64 X2 dual-core mobile technology in April and May 2007, respectively.

The key technologies that comprise “Puma” are AMD’s next-generation notebook processor, codenamed “Griffin”, matched with the next-generation AMD “RS780” mobile chipset. This new platform exemplifies AMD’s commitment to improve platform stability, time to market, performance/energy-efficiency and overall consumer and commercial customers’ experience via its acquisition and integration of ATI. Notebooks based on the “Puma” platform are expected to be available in the mid-2008 timeframe.

“Through the combination of our recent processor and chipset launches and the Better by Design program, AMD is constantly establishing new heights of competitiveness in serving the needs of our notebook customers,” said Chris Cloran, vice president, AMD Notebook Division. “With the unveiling of the “Puma” mobile platform we’re sending a clear signal to the market that we intend to drive continued innovation in notebook computing in 2008 and beyond.”

Next-Generation Microprocessor Architecture

Core to the “Puma” platform is the introduction of AMD’s next-generation notebook “Griffin” microprocessor. With “Griffin,” AMD will deliver a number of new capabilities to enhance battery life and overall mobile computing performance.

New notebook processing innovations in “Griffin” include:

• power optimized HyperTransport™ and memory controllers integrated in the processor silicon that operate on a separate power plane as the processor cores, thereby enabling the cores to go into reduced power states;
• dynamic performance scaling offers enhanced battery life with reduced power consumption through separate voltage planes enabling each core to operate at independent frequency and voltage; and
• power-optimized HyperTransport™ 3.0 with a more than tripling of peak I/O bandwidth, plus new power features including dynamic scaling of link widths.

“With this introduction, AMD is stepping up its mobility story,” said Roger L. Kay, president, Endpoint Technologies Associates, Inc. “With increased performance and power efficiency, Puma represents the company's first explicitly mobile platform. It's safe to assume that this offering is just the first of what will be turn out to be a stream of evolving products based on the company's new open-platform mobile technology.”

“RS780” Platform Technology

“Griffin” will be complemented with the forthcoming “RS780” notebook chipset to deliver a rich visual experience and increased performance. Based on PCI Express® Generation 2 and the HyperTransport™ 3.0 specifications,”RS780” is expected to raise the bar on the notebook computing experience by delivering significant new features such as:

· Motherboard DirectX® 10 graphics processing

· Energy efficient high-definition multimedia support with the Unified Video Decoder

· Integrated multi-monitor support with DVI, HDMI and Display Port

· Native Southbridge™ support for NAND flash with HyperFlash™

· PowerXpress™ for dynamic switching between integrated & discrete graphics to extend battery life

The “Puma” platform is based upon an open platform strategy. In addition to the “Griffin” microprocessor and “RS780” chipset, the “Puma” platform includes ATI Radeon™ graphics, NVIDIA chipset and graphics technologies, and industry-leading wireless technologies.

With the launch of the “Puma” platform, AMD is taking important steps in system-level optimization through adding intelligence and increased coordination between the CPU, GPU and chipset. The “Puma” platform sets the stage for the next-wave of notebook processing innovation with silicon-level CPU/GPU integration through “Fusion”.

“Puma” will be further discussed during a presentation by AMD Fellow, Maurice Steinman at the Spring Microprocessor Forum in San Jose, California on May 22nd.

About AMD

Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) is a leading global provider of innovative processing solutions in the computing, graphics and consumer electronics markets. AMD is dedicated to driving open innovation, choice and industry growth by delivering superior customer-centric solutions that empower consumers and businesses worldwide. For more information, visit www.amd.com.

Press release: AMD.com