AMD Unveils New Energy Efficient Processors

In direct competition to Intel’s low energy processors which have swept the notebook market, AMD has begun to market a line of energy-efficient desktop processors based on models the chipmaker already sells. Current AMD desktop chips can consume a maximum 89 watts or more; the energy-efficient desktop chips will consume a maximum 35 to 65 watts. Chips rarely ever hit their maximum output in watts, but typically, a chip with a higher thermal ceiling will consume more energy. In mobile computing this is crucial because it directly impacts battery performance. The energy-efficient chips are actually the same as the standard Athlon 64 (for standard desktops), Sempron (the budget model) and Athlon X2 (dual-core) processors AMD sells.