BenQ JoyBook Lite T131 Ultra-portable Netbook

BenQ has announced a new "ultra-portable netbook" that features a low-power AMD processor and Mobility Radeon graphics (AMD Yukon platform).

The Joybook Lite T131 comes with a 13.3" 1280x800 display, 802.11n Wi-Fi, 250-320GB of storage, a six-cell battery rated for six hours of longevity, and a choice of Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium, and Linux operating systems.

BenQ has chosen the Sempron U200, which runs at 1GHz with 256KB of L2 cache and an 8W power envelope. That CPU using an M690E chipset, which includes Mobility Radeon X1270 graphics, and an SB600 south bridge. It weighs 3.97 lbs (1.8 kg) and measures 12.6" x 9.45" x 1.1" (320 x 240 x 28 mm).


Available in a choice of opulent midnight blue or snowy white, the Joybook Lite T131 netbook will be available June in China.

AMD Samples Phenom II Black Edition TWKR

AMD just dropped off some fresh TWKR Black Edition Phenom II chips over at MainGear (Custom PC Builder). AMDs didn’t tell them much about the new mysterious CPU other than it should overclock really well and are essentially hand picked.


AMD Phenom II X42 TWKR Black Edition is not a CPU that will see the light of the day as a retail part (for now). TWKR processors are speed binned Phenoms that AMD will use to get feedback from system integrators and respectable overclockers. AMD states that these CPUs should be used with phase change or LN2 cooling only, as they are "the best of breed".

Depending on the number of speed binned processors, this might lead to real return of AMD FX series, the best CPUs that AMD makes.

HP offers dual-core Athlon Neo in new Pavilion dv2z

After the Pavilion dv2, say hello to the Pavilion dv2z. HP has released a new version of its low-cost ultraportable, which starts at a lower price and can be customized with new dual-core Athlon Neo X2 and Turion Neo X2 processors from AMD.

In its base configuration, the Pavilion dv2z costs $599.99 and features a 1.6GHz Athlon Neo MV-40, Radeon X1250 integrated graphics, a gig of RAM, a 250GB mechanical hard drive, 802.11g Wi-Fi, a six-cell battery, and Windows Vista Home Basic x86. It also has the same 12.1" 1280x800 display and chassis design as the dv2.

You can step up to the Athlon Neo X2 L335 for an extra $25 and to the Turion Neo X2 L625 for $75 more. Both of these processors have dual 1.6GHz cores, but the Turion apparently has twice as much L2 cache (1MB instead of 512KB). HP also lets you pay $80 extra for an upgrade to Radeon HD 3410 discrete graphics and Windows Vista Home Premium.

HP offers both "Espresso Black" and "Moonlight White" versions of the dv2z. For some inexplicable reason, however, the white paint job induces a $25 price premium.

Callisto and Regor launched during COMPUTEX 2009

COMPUTEX 2009 (TAIPEI, Taiwan) — June 2, 2009 — AMD today announced two new dual-core desktop processors. Building on 10 years of AMD Athlon™ processor innovation, the new 45nm AMD Athlon™ II X2 250 processor gives mainstream consumers exceptional performance, efficiency and value. For enthusiasts and overclockers, AMD also announces the AMD Phenom™ II X2 550 Black Edition processor, the first ever dual-core AMD Phenom II CPU. With this latest addition to the AMD Phenom II processor family, users can now experience the power of AMD platform technology, codenamed “Dragon,” with dual-, triple- and quad-core configurations.



The new Phenom II X2 500 inherit all the major features from their elder brothers due to the fact that they are based on the same semiconductor die. The primary ones are compatibility with Socket AM3 mainboards and support of fast DDR3 SDRAM. Of course, the new dual-core processors can also be installed into the Socket AM2/AM2+ mainboards, just like all other Phenom II CPUs. In other words, new dual-core Phenom II X2 can be used in the new systems and as an upgrade for the existing ones.

Besides a 6MB L3 cache (the same size cache as that of Phenom II X4 900 processors), these solutions have pretty high clock speeds. The top Phenom II X2 550 processor works at 3.1GHz frequency, which is only 100MHz lower than that of the flagship Phenom II solution – Phenom II X4 955. Moreover, the calculated heat dissipation of the Phenom II X2 500 series processors is lower than that of all triple- and quad-core Phenom II CPUs due to fewer active cores (the only exception are the energy-efficient models). It equals only 80W.


AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition (CALLISTO) Details

AMD Black Edition processors, like the AMD Phenom™ II X2 550, help users to take control and unleash the maximum potential of Dragon platform technology’s unprecedented performance tuning capabilities. The same massive headroom that set world records in recent months is at users’ finger tips, offering impressive performance at a price the competition can’t beat.

Users can also maximize their overclocking experience by utilizing the new features and capabilities of AMD OverDrive™ 3.0, designed to enable quick and effective tuning of their PC experience for optimal performance.

With dual-, triple- or quad-core processors, AMD provides platform level solutions at multiple price points, each of which exceeds expectations for virtually any user.

AMD Athlon II X2 250 (REGOR) Details

The AMD Athlon II X2 250 performs exceptionally well when combined with AMD chipsets and integrated graphics solutions to create an all-AMD platform. Platforms featuring all-AMD technology can deliver up to twice the graphics performance of those with Intel integrated graphics.

Windows® 7 is optimized for multi-core processors like AMD Athlon™ II processors to give consumers an amazingly fast, simple and engaging PC experience. For example, Windows 7 is tuned to make the most of these new processors’ power management features, such as AMD PowerNow!™ 3.0 technology. AMD power management technologies, in combination with Windows 7, can help OEMs and partners to build exceptionally green, cool and quiet PCs.

Based on AMD’s acclaimed 45nm process technology, the AMD Athlon II dual-core processor has a TDP of 65W and can slash power consumption by up to 50 percent when doing basic tasks, up to 40 percent when running heavy workloads and up to 50 percent when at idle.

Press looking for more information on AMD Athlon II X2 250 and AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition, click here.

Reviews:
X-Bit Labs
AMDZone

New Six-Core AMD Opteron™ Processor Delivers Up to Thirty-Four Percent More Performance-per-Watt in Exact Same Platform

AMD today announced availability of the world’s first six-core server processor with Direct Connect Architecture for two-, four- and eight-socket servers. Six-Core AMD Opteron™ processors (code-named “Istanbul”) extend AMD’s commitment to offering server customers superior value at every price point with unmatched platform flexibility.

Across a single platform, AMD can address the need for more cores and greater scalability with the new Six-Core AMD Opteron processor and offer a cost- and power-efficient solution with Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors. Systems based on Six-Core AMD Opteron processors are expected to be available beginning this month from leading OEMs including Cray, Dell, HP, IBM and Sun Microsystems, along with support from motherboard and infrastructure partners. HE, SE and EE versions of the Six-Core AMD Opteron processor are planned for the second half of 2009.

The most notable change of Istanbul is the addition of a feature AMD calls HT Assist. HT Assist is essentially a probe filter intended to reduce the overhead required for the synchronization of cached data across CPUs in multiple sockets. HT Assist reserves space in each processor's L3 cache, in which it stores an index of where that CPU's cache lines are being used system-wide. The CPU then becomes "host" of the cache lines stored in its directory. If any CPU needs an update about a particular cache line, it will often know which CPU is the correct host to probe for that information. AMD says HT Assist can replace broadcast probe requests (sent to all sockets) with directed requests in 8 of 11 typical CPU-to-CPU transactions. This reduction in probe traffic can yield big gains in available system bandwidth, whose Stream bandwidth increased from roughly 25GB/s to 42GB/s with the addition of Istanbul processors with HT Assist.

Reviews:
Tech Report

Phenom II 955 BE Proving Grounds

AMD has posted a video on YouTube of their Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition being overclocked on air, dry ice and Liquid Nitrogen. The processor is overclocked by Chew*.



Chew* spent three weeks tirelessly overclocking stock AMD Phenom II X4 955 BE processors and recently published his results spanning air, phase, dry ice, and liquid nitrogen. He pushes DDR3 and the extraordinary north bridge of the 955 to the limit. The stock 955 has tremendous north bridge scaling potential and achieved overclocks at significantly lower voltages than prior processor models. Gigabyte and OCZ provided additional support.

The Proving Grounds on Youtube in HD : http://links.amd.com/PROVINGGROUNDS

The Proving Grounds on Youtube in Standard Definition: http://links.amd.com/SDPROVINGGROUNDS

Result Summary :

AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition CPU ”Dragon” Technology
Overclocker Brian Mclachlan / chew*

#2 3DMark06 23,883
Single ATI Radeon HD 4890 Class

#1 3DMark06 28,831
Dual ATI Radeon HD 4850 Class

#1 3DMark06 Score 32,281
Dual ATI Radeon HD 4890 Class

Results on DDR3
DDR3 5-5-5-15-20 At 1443 Mhz
DDR3 6-6-6-16-22 At 1636 Mhz

Results on Air
4515 Mhz All Core Validation
4070 Mhz Extreme Stability CPU 1.50V

Results on Dry Ice
5217 Mhz All Core Validation
4717 Mhz Extreme Stability CPU 1.60V

Results on Liquid Nitrogen
6405 Mhz All Core Validation
6283 Mhz Benchmark PI 1M (6283) 11.078 DDR3 9-9-9 1700
5751 Mhz Extreme Stablity CPU 1.80V

MA790FX-UD5P DDR2 Motherboard
MA790FXT-UDP5 DDR3 Motherboard

AMD Marks its 40th Year as a Technology Innovator

May 1, 2009 will mark the official 40-year anniversary of AMD’s founding by Jerry Sanders and seven co-founders in 1969. As part of the year-long anniversary celebration, the company is holding a series of contests in the U.S. and Canada as a gesture of thanks to the dedicated customers who have been, and continue to be, key to AMD’s critical presence in the processor industry.

As a central hub for the contests and information about AMD’s history, the company also launched a site dedicated to the 40th anniversary, with a complete timeline of AMD milestones and full details about the upcoming contests. In coming weeks the site is also expected to feature employee and customer-generated anniversary content.

“Forty years in any industry is a major achievement, but doing so in the rapidly changing, competitive semiconductor business is an enduring testament to the dedication and talent of AMD employees and alumni,” said Dirk Meyer, AMD president and CEO. “As the world and technology markets have changed through the years, AMD has remained focused on enabling the next wave of applications that we expect to drive the industry. We mark our 40th year as a much different company; a company intensely focused on designing and developing new products and platforms that combine our unique graphics and microprocessor technologies to create compelling user experiences.”

During the past 40 years, AMD transformed itself from a second-source supplier that worked within the confines of other companies’ designs to a widely recognized innovation leader that has driven the market and kept competition alive in one of the world’s most important technology sectors. AMD takes great pride in the role of igniting next-generation technology solutions, as well as the ability to see where customer and end-user needs are headed next and then collaborate with the industry accordingly.

Unique “Fusion” Business Philosophy

AMD’s unique “Fusion” business philosophy is a key part of what sets us apart from competitors. Fusion is the competitive differentiator that enables AMD to consistently deliver relevant, breakthrough innovation … time and time again. Fusion marries innovation with collaboration. Far more than just the convergence of microprocessor and graphics technologies, Fusion is the process by which AMD and its technology partners can ignite next-generation solutions that change the way people work, live and play through an adaptive combination of technology integration, customer intimacy and industry impact. Fusion is the process where customer needs and desires can bond with AMD’s own engineering passion and unique capabilities. To learn more about innovation and the next generation of breakthroughs, visit http://fusion.amd.com/.

Giving Back

In the past 40 years, users and enthusiasts the world over have been integral in the development and marketplace adoption of AMD products. To thank AMD users and celebrate the anniversary, beginning today, AMD is launching a series of contests in the coming months to give back to its dedicated fans. In total, the contests will give away 80 prizes, and the lucky winners will take home some of the most innovative AMD products on the market today.
The first contest, beginning today, is aimed at the AMD enthusiast community who rely on AMD products for their graphics and processing needs. For this contest, participants who submit brief, creative videos wishing AMD a happy birthday can be entered for a chance to win one of AMD’s award-winning graphics cards that have received numerous positive reviews from top-notch enthusiast outlets such as Hot Hardware and HardOCP. The qualified entrants who submit the three best videos will be eligible to receive an ATI Radeon™ HD 4890 graphic card and 40 additional runners up will be eligible to receive an ATI Radeon HD 4650 Radeon graphics card.

Alternatively, fans can show off their AMD pride by submitting photos showing off how much they love AMD products. The top five submissions from eligible participants will win AMD’s fastest quad-core processor ever, the AMD Phenom™ II X4 955 Black Edition processor, which helps users unleash the maximum potential of their PCs by providing superior performance and efficiency at a price that’s hard to beat (AMD SSBP is $245). In addition, eight other qualified participants will be eligible to receive an AMD Athlon™ 7850 processor, which gives users the performance they need to help maximize productivity and enhance their digital entertainment experience.

AMD will kick off two additional contests later this year, which are planned to give fans the opportunity to win AMD-powered notebook computers as well as popular gaming consoles like the ATI graphics-equipped Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360.

Please visit the AMD 40th anniversary website for full contest rules and details: www.amd.com/40years

AMD Launches the ATI Radeon™ HD 4770

AMD today launched the ATI Radeon™ HD 4770 graphics processor, a groundbreaking product that harnesses the state-of-the-art 40 nanometer manufacturing process for the desktop PC market, delivering best-in-class performance and energy efficiency at anticipated launch prices as low as $99.

“Consumer pressure in this economic downturn is shifting demand to lower prices and the price band around $100 has the highest demand and highest volume,” said Rick Bergman, senior vice president and general manager, Graphics Products Group, AMD. “AMD has responded with the launch of the ATI Radeon HD 4770, targeting this market with cutting-edge technologies like 40 nm processors, support for DirectX 10.1 gaming and GDDR5 memory."

The card performs better than Geforce 9800GT and it's slightly slower than the Radeon HD 4850, but at the same time, it runs cooler than the HD 4850. It is a dual slot graphics card and it has an external power connector, but the best attribute will definitely be the performance you get for the price.

Reviews:
AMDZone
X-Bit Labs

Supporting Resources:
· Video: ATI Radeon HD 4770 product features
· Video: What gamers are saying about the ATI Radeon HD 4770

AMD releases new Phenom II X4 945 and 955 BE

AMD will now refresh the lineup with two new processors: the Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition and Phenom II X4 945. Both processors are modestly priced, with the Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition at $245, and the Phenom II X4 945 at $225.

The 955 Black Edition and the 945 are clocked at 3.2GHz and 3.0GHz, respectively. Black Edition processors have unlocked multipliers to make overclocking easier for PC enthusiasts. The processors differ only in clock speed, and have identical specifications otherwise. The Phenom II X4 processors will come with 64K of L1 instruction and 64K of L1 data cache per core (512KB total L1 per processor), 512KB of L2 data cache per core (2MB total L2 per processor), and will also have a shared 6MB L3 cache.

The two new processors are based on AMD's AM3 socket but will also work in most AM2+ motherboards. Because they support both sockets, the processors also support both DDR2 and DDR3 memory, respectively found in AM2+ and AM3 socket based motherboards. Using DDR2 the processors will have 17.1GB/s of memory bandwidth, and using DDR3 the bandwidth jumps up to 21.1GB/s. Older Phenom II X4 processors, like the 940 Black Edition and the 920, use AMD's AM2+ socket.

The Web site Ripping.org notes that hobbyists with early access to the X4 955 BE chip have been able to clock it at up to 6.7 GHz.

Below are the reviews we found on web:
AMDZone
PC Perspective
Firing Squad
Tech Report
AnandTech

ATI Radeon HD 4890

AMD today introduced the ATI Radeon™ HD 4890 graphics card, driven by the world’s most powerful graphics processor . The newest addition to the award-winning ATI Radeon™ HD 4000 series boasts a whopping 1.36 TeraFLOPs of compute power, superior GDDR5 memory, and super-high engine clock speeds capable of nearly 1GHz. The advanced design of the ATI Radeon HD 4890 delivers the best game experience in its class, including the latest ground-breaking DirectX® 10.1 titles. In addition, with the introduction of the ATI Radeon HD 4890, AMD continues to enhance its “Dragon” desktop platform technology, designed to provide exceptional value to OEMs, channel partners, and do-it-yourself (DIY) consumers.



The ATI Radeon HD 4890 graphics card continues AMD’s proud tradition of technology leadership with support for the latest DirectX 10.1 games, including Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X.™, Electronic Art’s BattleForge™ and SEGA’s Stormrise™ released last month, as well as GSC Gameworld’s S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Clear
Sky. When compared to DirectX 10 game play, DirectX 10.1 games have proven to deliver higher game performance and an improved visual experience.

The ATI Radeon HD 4890 graphics card is supported by a dozen add-in-board companies offering a variety of custom board and cooling solutions. Partners include ASUS, Club 3D, Diamond Multimedia, Force3D, GECUBE, GIGABYTE, HIS (Hightech Information Systems), Jetway, MSI, Palit Multimedia, PowerColor, SAPPHIRE Technology, VisionTek and XFX. It is available immediately for $249 MSRP (USD), and priced at select etailers as low as $229 (USD) after mail-in rebate.

For more information, visit www.amd.com/radeon4890/presskit

Check out the supporting videos for the new ATI Radeon HD 4890:
DirectX 10.1: What the Experts Say
Experience The DirectX 10.1 Difference
Dr. Jon Peddie’s Thoughts On The Future of Discrete Graphics and the Video Game Market
The Making of an ATI Graphics Card