Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD), Intel Corp's biggest rival in PC processors, introduced faster chips for laptops and cheaper desktop PCs and cut prices on older products by as much as 49 percent.
Compaq Computer Corp will use the new 1.1GHz Athlon 4 and 900MHz Duron chip in some Presario-brand mobile PCs, AMD said. The chipmaker also unveiled a 1GHz Duron for inexpensive desktop PCs.
AMD, once considered an also-ran to Intel, has overhauled its manufacturing and design practices and beat Intel over several technical hurdles last year. The company has won more sales in consumer machines this year and now wants to build on that success by snagging business in notebook PCs.
The Sunnyvale, California-based company introduced the Athlon 4 in May. That marked its first competitive offering for laptops in several months, since the company's K6-2 lost popularity after being outperformed by Intel's Pentium III.
The K6-2 peaked at 40 percent of the notebook units sold in January 2000, according to researcher NPD Intelect. That share dwindled to 1.8 percent in March 2001.
The 1.1GHz chip costs US$425 each in volume shipments, with the 900MHz mobile Duron priced at US$130 and the 1GHz desktop Duron at US$89.
Advanced Micro lowered prices on the 1GHz mobile Athlon chip by 32 percent to US$290 from US$425, spokesman Drew Prairie said. The 950MHz dropped 26 percent, with the 900MHz falling 15 percent and the 850MHz reduced 19 percent.
The price of the 850MHz mobile Duron slid 49 percent to US$100 from US$197, with the 800MHz dropping 47 percent. The 950MHz desktop Duron fell to US$74 from US$122. The list prices of desktop Athlon chips were unchanged, Prairie said.
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