Official Press Release: AMD Introduces Four Microprocessors

[Amused]

AMD Introduces Four Microprocessors


Updated: Tue, Oct 09 3:31 AM EDT

By MATTHEW FORDAHL, AP Technology Writer
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Advanced Micro Devices Inc. is upgrading its line of desktop computer processors with faster chips, familiar names and revised performance measurements.

The chip-maker launched four processors Tuesday - all under the name Athlon XP. AMD says "XP" stands for "extra performance," not "experience" as in Microsoft's upcoming Windows XP operating system.

"It's clever marketing on their part to hitch a product to what they think will be a rising star," said Nathan Brookwood, an analyst at the research firm Insight 64. "Any fast processor can do an adequate job running Windows XP."

Athlon XP chips run at speeds ranging from 1.33 gigahertz to 1.53 GHz, which is still below the highest clock speed of rival Intel Corp.'s Pentium 4 processor, which now tops out at 2 GHz.

AMD, however, says a processor's frequency is not the best measure of performance, and that its chips outperform Intel in tests of commonly used programs.


AMD will market the chips based on performance rather than clock speed. The 1.5 GHz Athlon XP will be sold as the Athlon 1800+. The 1.33 GHz is called the Athlon XP 1500+.

The new chips also incorporate several architectural enhancements and consume about 20 percent less power, the company said.

AMD also plans to introduce a performance measurement system that will be rolled out next year. Details of that initiative were expected to be released Tuesday.

The new Athlon XP chips range in price from $130 for the 1500+ to $252 for the 1800+, when purchased in quantities of 1,000.

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[joohang]

Gaa.. Must work hard to earn more $$$.

Too many goodies I want to buy nowadays. 🙂

$130 for 1.33 GHz Palomino is such a sweet deal.

 

[spanky]

this is BS. just name ur cpu and tell us the speed and quit pulling my johnson. i'm all for amd but this is just friggin' pathetic.

 

[xtreme2k]

Yep good one AMD.

After half a year, now you released a 133MHz faster CPU than the AMD Thunderbird 1.4GHz. Seriously, they need the 1.6-1.7 going quick... obviously I am not upgrading my 1.4GHz to 1.53GHz. I know even at 1.53 it is still a lot faster than the T1.4 because of the SSE and prefetch but still not enough to justify an upgrade.

 

[ikar0s]

<< this is BS. just name ur cpu and tell us the speed and quit pulling my johnson. i'm all for amd but this is just friggin' pathetic. >>



This has been debated ad nauseum. This is merely marketing AMD is using to keep things competitive in the CPU market. Intel knew AMD would win the MHz-War against it's P3 line, so when they developed the P4, they made it highly clockable with a lower clock/performance ratio. Why did Intel do this? Because they know, just like AMD knows, that an overwhelming majority of computer buyers base their decisions almostly soley on price and clock speed.

AMD reintroduced the PR ratings for these ignorant consumers, to save them from their own stupidity. They were not intended for, and thus will not affect, informed buyers like you and I (and most people into computer hardware, etc.) who know what the actual clock speed of the CPU is.

AMD is doing this for their own survival. I personally want AMD to survive in the market as a major player, because if they don't, competition will fade, and price/performance ratios will drop. So I give them props for their marketing scheme.

 

[imgod2u]

Intel had been developing the P4 architecture long before AMD was even a threat. The early release of the architecture and immaturity of it was PR. And people are just sad because they don't expect this kind of cheezy marketing from AMD. We all knew how everyone felt when the original P3 was released, just a P2 with SSE.

 

[gsaldivar]

"...AMD says "XP" stands for "extra performance," not "experience" as in Microsoft's upcoming Windows XP operating system..."

Riiiiiiight...... 😉

 

[vi edit]

Didn't Cyrix pull this marketing strategy about 6 years ago with their CPU lines? They rated them at speeds higher than what they really were clocked at and claimed that it was a performance rating?

 

[Damascus]

<< Didn't Cyrix pull this marketing strategy about 6 years ago with their CPU lines? They rated them at speeds higher than what they really were clocked at and claimed that it was a performance rating? >>



The Cyrix chips couldn't live up to their claims in most applications though.

 

[vi edit]

<<

<< Didn't Cyrix pull this marketing strategy about 6 years ago with their CPU lines? They rated them at speeds higher than what they really were clocked at and claimed that it was a performance rating? >>



The Cyrix chips couldn't live up to their claims in most applications though. >>



It's the thought that counts though, right? 😛

 

[Remnant2]

The differences between AMD's PR system and the Cyrix-era PR system is:

1) AMD's new system is actually accurate -- there are very few benchmarks where a 1.8ghz P4 performs better than the 1800 (in most cases either very bandwidth-intensive or synthetic benches). Most of the time the 1800 thumps around the 2ghz P4 (provided that its using a 266a or nforce -- obviously AMD gave themselves room to account for KT133a/760 chipsets).

2) The old system was ridiculous. The PR system was based only on integer performance, and even at that it was about 50% too optimistic, so that a PR166 was more like a 66mhz Pentium in FPU ops and a 150mhz pentium in more integer-type apps.