14 DAY TRIAL // AMD let Intel enjoy the launching of Intel Pentium D only for a few days. After a brief moment in which Intel seemed to lead in the battle for promoting dual processors, AMD launched a powerful counterattack, by announcing the unleashing of Athlon 64 X2.
As Intel Pentium D, Athlon 64 X2 targets prosumers and is designed for desktop and desknote systems.
According to the statements of AMD, the AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual core processor is capable of performances 80% higher than the ones of the single core version.
In any case, the test set up by PC World USA says quite enough about the performances of the new processor compared with Intel Pentium D.
Moreover, another advantage Athlon 64 X2 has over Intel is the compatibility with the mainboards working with Athlon 64 single core (only requiring a BIOS upgrade), while Pentium D needs new mainboard models with new chipsets and VRMs (voltage regulator modules). The fastest Athlon 64 single core processor is the model codenamed 4000+, and Athlon 64 X2 steps it up a notch, with 4200+, 4400+, 4600+ and 4800+.
4200+ and 4400+ are running at 2.2GHz, and have 512 KB, respectively 1 MB Level 2 cache for each core. 4600+ and 4800+ have speeds of 2.4GHz, with the same quantities of cache.
Major manufacturers, as Acer, HP and Lenovo have already begun to assemble systems based on the new processor, as well as some 40 other manufactures worldwide.
Even if the prices AMD announced for Athlon 64 X2 are bigger compared to the ones for Intel Pentium D (4800+ costs 1066 USD, and 4200+ 537 USD) and Athlon 64 X2 has been launched after Intel Pentium D was, it looks like AMD has his competitor cornered.
And if AMD will succeed in lowering these prices, then Intel might find itself in a very tight spot.