AMD

General
January 18, 2012
by

AMD to undercut Intel with cheaper ultrabooks

By on January 18, 2012 at 2:00 AM.

AMD to undercut Intel with cheaper ultrabooks

AMD is reportedly planning to undercut Intel by offering cheaper ultrabook components later this year. The notebooks are expected to cost between $700 and $999, which is a good deal cheaper than the $999-$1,200 price tag that many ultrabooks carry now. DigiTimes notes that AMD’s technology will not add any new innovative functions but will instead be focused on delivering consumers thin and light devices at a much more wallet-friendly price. The first round of AMD-powered ultrabooks is expected to hit the market in June. More →

No Comments
Business
August 25, 2011
by

AMD hires former Lenovo president as CEO

By on August 25, 2011 at 11:30 PM.

AMD hires former Lenovo president as CEO

AMD hired former Lenovo president and chief operating officer Rory Read as its president and chief executive officer on Thursday. Read will replace interim leader Tom Seifert, the company’s chief financial officer, and former CEO Dirk Meyer. Meyer resigned from the chip maker in January after the company’s board decided that AMD could be more profitable, and no doubt more competitive against Intel, with a new head. “I’m very pleased to be joining AMD at this important time in its history,” Read said in a statement. “I’m excited to be joining AMD’s employees as we write the next chapter not just for the company, but for the industry and consumers around the world.” Read worked at IBM for 23 years before moving to Lenovo. The move is effective immediately. Read on for the full press release. More →

6 Comments
Gaming
July 18, 2011
by

AMD says Xbox 720 graphics will be on a par with Avatar

By on July 18, 2011 at 11:01 PM.

AMD says Xbox 720 graphics will be on a par with Avatar

According to the latest issue of Official Xbox Magazine, AMD’s director of ISV relationships Neal Robison said that the next-generation Xbox will offer graphics that will be on a par with the type of effects viewers saw in the movie Avatar. AMD hasn’t publicly been named as a partner on console, which is currently being dubbed the Xbox 720, but the chip maker did provide the hardware inside the current Xbox 360 system. Avatar-style graphics would certainly be a pretty big leap from the offering currently available on the Xbox 360, and we’re definitely excited to hear more on the new system. We’ll probably have just under one year to find out for sure; we exclusively reported in late June that Microsoft would take the wraps off of its next gaming console during E3 2012 next year. More →

41 Comments
Computers
June 29, 2011
by

Sony outs new VAIO Z laptop with optional Power Media Dock

By on June 29, 2011 at 2:01 AM.

Sony outs new VAIO Z laptop with optional Power Media Dock

Sony announced its brand new VAIO Z laptop on Thursday, an ultralight device that weighs just 2.6 pounds. The Windows 7 Professional-powered notebook is equipped with a 13.1-inch 1600 x 900-pixel display, a 2.7GHz Intel Core i7 processor, a 256GB solid state drive, AMD Radeon HD graphics, and can be purchased with an optional battery sheet that provides up to 14 hours of battery life. Similarly, its optional Power Media Dock accessory supports up to four displays at once, has its own 1GB graphics card, can be purchased with a DVD or Blu-ray drive, and offers support for Intel’s new “Light Peak” port. The VAIO Z will make its debut in July in the UK first for £2,700 ($4,320), Read on for the full press release.

More →

8 Comments
3D
June 15, 2011
by

Toshiba intros Satellite P700 series notebooks

By on June 15, 2011 at 2:35 AM.

Toshiba intros Satellite P700 series notebooks

On Tuesday Toshiba took the wraps off of its new Satellite P700 series laptops. The models include the P745, P755/P755 3D, and P775, which sport 14-inch, 15.6-inch, and 17.3-inch displays, respectively. Buyers will have the option to configure their P700-series notebook with an Intel Core i3, Core i5, or Core i7 processor, and models sport either an NVIDIA GeForce GT540M GPU or an AMD A6-3400M chip with discrete Radeon graphics. Other features include HDMI-out, USB 3.0, up to 750GB of storage space, Harman Kardon speakers, support for Intel Wireless Display, and optional 4G WiMAX and Blu-ray players. The P750 3D offers a 15.6-inch stereoscopic 3D display, support for 2D-to-3D DVD conversion, and more. The P745 starts at $699.99, the P7555 begins at $629.99, and the P775 starts at $629.99. The high-end P775 3D will set you back at least $1,199.99. The entire P700 series will be available in major retail outlets beginning June 21st. Hit the jump for the full release. More →

No Comments
Breaking
May 3, 2011
by

Apple introduces Sandy Bridge iMacs with Thunderbolt I/O

By on May 3, 2011 at 8:40 AM.

Apple introduces Sandy Bridge iMacs with Thunderbolt I/O

As reported, Apple has updated its all-in-one desktop computer line, the iMac, with Intel’s latest processor family and improved specifications. Available in both 21.5-inch and 27-inch models, the new iMac can be configured with quad-core Sandy Bridge processors starting at 2.5 GHz and will come standard with AMD Radeon HD graphics cards, 4GB of RAM, and a 500MB or 1TB hard drive. The computers will also include Apple’s new Thunderbolt I/O port for high-speed data transfers. “Starting at $1,199, the new iMac is up to 70 percent faster and new graphics deliver up to three times the performance of the previous generation,” reads the press release. “The iMac continues to feature its signature aluminum and glass design, gorgeous IPS LED-backlit high resolution display, SD card slot and comes with Apple’s innovative Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad.” The press release is after the break.

More →

25 Comments
Breaking
February 24, 2011
by

Apple launches new MacBook Pro line

By on February 24, 2011 at 8:44 AM.

Apple launches new MacBook Pro line

Apple on Thursday surprised no one when it launched its new line of MacBook Pro computers. Despite ongoing rumors that have been swirling for weeks now, anxious Apple fans in need of new rigs can finally breathe a sigh of relief as they open their wallets nice and wide. Here’s the breakdown:

  • MC700LL/A: 13.3-inch display, 2.3GHz dual-core Core i5, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 320GB HD, Intel HD Graphics 3000 — $1,199
  • MC724LL/A: 13.3-inch display, 2.7GHz dual-core Core i5, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB HD, Intel HD Graphics 3000 — $1,499
  • MC721LL/A: 15.4-inch display (1440×900), 2.0GHz quad-core Core i7, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB HD, AMD Radeon HD 6490M  — $1,799
  • MC723LL/A: 15.4-inch display (1440×900), 2.2GHz quad-core Core i7, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 750GB HD, AMD Radeon HD 6750M — $2,199
  • MC725LL/A: 17-inch display (1920×1200), 2.2GHz quad-core Core i7, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 750GB HD, dual graphics processors with automatic switching (Intel HD Graphics 3000 and AMD Radeon HD 6750M) — $2,499

Oh, and don’t forget those nifty little Thunderbolt ports on each notebook, of course. The new MacBook Pro models will become available for purchase shortly. Hit the break for Apple’s full press release. More →

64 Comments
Software
November 15, 2010
by

AMD throws its hat into the MeeGo ring

By on November 15, 2010 at 8:10 AM.

AMD throws its hat into the MeeGo ring

It looks like another big-name company will be throwing its weight behind the development of the open-source operating system MeeGo. Today, AMD announced that it will “provide engineering expertise” to the MeeGo project in the hopes of establishing “technical foundations for next-generation mobile platforms and embedded devices.”

“We are glad to provide engineering resources to joint industry efforts like MeeGo and expect that this operating system will help drive our embedded plans and create expanded market opportunities for our forthcoming Accelerated Processing Units,” said Ben Bar-Haim, AMD’s corporate vice president of software development.

Hit the jump for the full press release. More →

12 Comments
General
April 16, 2010
by

Future Apple hardware to be powered by AMD?

By on April 16, 2010 at 3:00 PM.

Future Apple hardware to be powered by AMD?

apple-amd-logo

Those sleuthing Apple informants seem to have struck gold once again. After noticing a continuous stream of AMD bosses and representatives travelling to and from Apple’s Cupertino campus, they’re now reporting that Apple is seriously considering the #2 chipmaker as a replacement for its current Intel offerings. Apple is thought to be unhappy with Intel, whose prolonged chip development cycle has slowed the pace of Apple’s hardware refresh and whose incompatibility with Nvidia has forced Apple to use the less than optimal integrated Intel graphics chipset. In fact, Apple’s dissatisfaction with Intel’s GPU performance is what prompted the company to develop the novel automatic graphics switching utilized by its recently refreshed MacBook Pro line-up. The hardware work-around allows the notebook to switch from the integrated Intel chipset to the more powerful NVIDIA GT 320M and GT 330M cards when needed. AMD, with its strong ties to ATI, could seemingly offer Apple greater flexibility over its future products which might one day include a powerful graphics subsytem worthy of the Apple name. Before you get too excited and sell your new Core i5 and Core i7 MBPs on eBay, keep in mind that all of this is speculation based upon the rather ambiguous, yet highly referenced “people familiar with the matter”. Respond appropriately. More →

41 Comments
General
March 29, 2010
by

AMD Opteron 4000 & 6000: 12 cores, 1 chip

By on March 29, 2010 at 11:01 AM.

AMD Opteron 4000 & 6000: 12 cores, 1 chip

amd-opteron

Last week, we reported on several chip set announcements — of the 6-core variety — from both Intel and AMD. Today, just one day before an Intel press event, AMD has released details about its new 12-core server processing chip, the AMD Opteron 4000 and 6000. The 4000 series chip will target the low-end, energy-conscious market, while the 6000 series is for those who don’t look at the electric bill and need as much high-end horsepower as possible. AMD is touting that the new 12-core processors are more than twice as fast as the previous line of 6-core chips and, “will beat Intel’s [chips] in processing performance and energy efficiency, as well as cost per computing power.” Intel’s announcement is tomorrow… let the processor wars continue. More →

14 Comments
Hardware
March 22, 2010
by

Hard Core: Intel and AMD update CPU lineups

By on March 22, 2010 at 2:52 PM.

Hard Core: Intel and AMD update CPU lineups

intel

Processor manufacturers AMD and Intel are updating their desktop processor lineups, and they will be bringing 6-core number-smashing goodness, as well as a few low wattage options, to a CPU near you. DigiTimes has a source on record claiming: “Intel will soon launch its 32nm high-end dual-core Core i5-680 with price of US$284 and will replace the existing Core i5-670; and 45nm low-voltage Core i7-870s with a price of US$560 and a power consumption of 82W.” Their connect goes onto detail some of AMD’s future plans: “AMD will launch several six-core Phenom II processors in the second quarter including X6 1035T (2.6GHz/95W), X6 1055T (2.8GHz/95W) and X6 1075T (3.0GHz/125W).” No prices were leaked by the DigiTimes source for the AMD hardware, but they went on to list a plethora of Phenom and Athalon models and prospective release dates.  More →

22 Comments
General
January 22, 2010
by

AMD posts first profit in 13 quarters

By on January 22, 2010 at 11:37 AM.

AMD posts first profit in 13 quarters

AMD Logo

It has been a long, and at times, ominous road for number-two chip maker AMD, however, we are happy to report that there is reason for the underdog to celebrate. After 13 consecutive quarters of operating in the red, AMD has reported a net income of $1.18 billion dollars for the fourth quarter of 2009. The announcement is largely due to a 28% growth in sales over the holiday season — fueled by the demand for new PC’s and netbooks — and a $1.25 billion lawsuit settlement from rival chip maker Intel. Sales from AMD’s graphics division lead the charge climbing 58% from the previous year, while processor sales also jumped 39% year-over-year. Even with all this good news AMD’s stock is trading lower, as analysts are uncertain that AMD can hit its revenue number for 2010 and/or gain market share from the juggernaut that is Intel. More →

10 Comments
Gaming
November 18, 2009
by

AMD releases dual GPU beast, Radeon HD 5970

By on November 18, 2009 at 1:02 PM.

AMD releases dual GPU beast, Radeon HD 5970

AMD Radeon HD 5970

As the prophet Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor used to ask his audience, “what do we want?” More. Power. AMD has just released its dual-GPU ATI Radeon HD 5970 graphics card, and the specs are pretty ridiculous. Aside from having two GPUs capable of 4.64 teraflops of number-smashing goodness, the 5970 also comes standard with a 725 MHz engine processor (which can be overclocked), a 1 GHz memory clock, and 2 GB of GDDR5 RAM. Now, for those of you with 90-inches of screen real estate to fill, the 5970 can output in resolutions all the way up to 7,680 x 1,600. Direct X11, Open GL 3.2, and Open CL 1.0 compliance also made their way onto the stat sheet. Makes you want to fire up Mindsweeper and really put this puppy through its paces, doesn’t it? $599 is the number for this monster, if you haven’t fallen off your chair yet.

P.S. In addition to two DVI ports, the Radeon HD 5970 also includes a Mini DisplayPort More →

38 Comments