The new chip should compete with Intel's Atom 330 processor

Dec 5, 2008 09:45 GMT  ·  By

Advanced Micro Devices announced a while ago that it plans to release a low power processor, one that would be able to compete with Intel's Atom chip on the respective market segment. There were few signs that AMD was making progress with the CPU, yet we have just learned that the company might be set to release that chip in the near future. The processor in question is an Athlon X2 part dubbed 3250e, reported to feature a 22W TDP.

The upcoming AMD Athlon X2 3250e processor was supposed to start shipping sometime in November, yet the Sunnyvale chip maker pushed it back a little. The new CPU is an AM2 part based on a Brisbane core, should come with 2x512KB cache and is manufactured under the 65 nanometer process technology.

Similar Brisbane-based CPUs have been available for quite a while; some of them have even been tested. There are a few 45W dual-core Athlon X2s available for purchase. A 2.30GHz processor, dubbed Athlon X2 4450e, can be spotted at €53+. According to the latest news, 22W Athlon X2 3250e should become available any day now; at least, this is what AMD is reported to have said to its partners.

The AMD chip is expected to perform a little faster than the Intel Atom 330 dual core, and could prove a great competitor for the home theater PC segment. As many of you may already know, the Atom 330 dual-core comes with an impressive TDP of only 8W, but its chipset consumes quite a lot, and together they are rated at about 25+ W. Given the fact that the Brisbane 3250e with chipset has a similar thermal envelope, AMD might have great chances to gain some market share.

AMD needs to come up with competitive products in order to strengthen its position on the market and become an important rival to giant chip maker Intel. The company is also preparing for the launch of its next-generation Deneb chip, expected to be launched on January 8th under the Phenom II brand.