AMD Rolls Out Mobile Platform

AMD today formally introduced its new notebook platform, which has been referred to under the code-name of Puma. Major laptop makers including HP, Dell, Acer and Toshiba have already agreed to use it.

The Turion X2 Ultra chip (formerly code-named “Griffin”), is a CPU with two K8 cores (the same cores used in the Athlon processors) that let the chip set different power levels for each core and the integrated “north bridge” chip, power optimized HyperTransport 3; and a mobile-optimized memory controller designed for DDR-800 memory.

The heart of the platform is the new 7-series chipset with support for the ATI Mobility Radeon 3000 family of graphics and Wi-Fi support from a third-party chipset (such as Atheros, Broadcom, or Marvell).

The graphics come in several flavors. Most distinctive is the HD 3000 integrated graphics solution, which includes support for Avivo HD (for better hardware-assistend HD decode). AMD believes this will far outperform Intel’s integrated graphics. All the chips support Direct X 10.

In addition, AMD will be offering support for what it calls “ATI XGP” - essentially an external box with even more graphics that connects via special cable to the PCI Express bus. This will allow multi-monitor support, TV tuners, etc.

Intel’s share is about 85 percent, largely because of the success of its Centrino line, says the NY Times. AMD hopes the new chip will help the company maintain its 15 percent share in the laptop market.

Intel was scheduled to deliver its updated Centrino chip set, code-named Montevina, in June but last week the company revealed that the product would be delayed to July 14. Intel executives said the delay was because of technical problems associated with the chip’s graphics features as well as complications with its wireless certification.

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