AMD's New Chip to Turnaround Against Int

After waiting for so long, finally, we have some good news for you. AMD (Advance Micro Device) Inc. has a chance to prove its ability in chips for server systems. AMD’s new microprocessor, code-named Barcelona, is fighting against Intel Corp. in providing calculating engines for the midsize machines that run Web sites and other key business programs.

Barcelona, to be formally called the Quad-Core (four cores in the same die) AMD Opteron Processor, is an AMD’s next hope for turnaround against Intel. AMD has worked hard to make the devices work in higher performance and in lower prices.

Barcelona’s design is designed to support communication between processors. Although, its only operates at a maximum frequency of 2GHz, this result is slower than initial expectations. However, because of many optimizations inside of its, its can boost more power of processing than it’s elder.

Barcelona’s attraction is power consumption, a key factor in many computer rooms. Barcelona has a series of power-saving features and uses an older, more power-efficient style of memory chips than Intel's Xeon.

According to Randy Allen, an AMD corporate vice president and general manager of its server and workstation division, AMD (Barcelona) is adopting a scheme to measure the average power consumption of its chips, in addition to providing numbers about the maximum power they draw. The new approach, which is closer to the way Intel rates its chips, is designed to help customers compare the two companies' products.

AMD, which now lists high-end Opterons for up to $2,149, won't have such lucrative models ready until the fourth quarter. A two-gigahertz model will list for $1,019, with low-end versions starting for as little as $209.