FALL
DEEPER IN LOVE WITH THE WORLD'S FASTEST x86 PROCESSOR: THE 850MHz AMD
ATHLON™ PROCESSOR
--850MHz AMD Athlon™ processor to power computers by Compaq,
IBM, Gateway, Pionex and CyberMax--
SUNNYVALE, CA -- February 11, 2000 --AMD today sent out an early Valentine's Day greeting to computer lovers everywhere, unveiling an 850MHz version of its award-winning AMD Athlon™ processor.
Many computer manufacturers plan to offer systems featuring the 850MHz AMD Athlon processor, including Compaq, IBM, Gateway, Pionex and CyberMax. Those systems will provide users exceptional performance for commercial and consumer applications, such as 3D modeling, image compression, CAD/CAM, and voice recognition, as well as near theatre quality visual images, rich audio and an enhanced Internet experience.
"With the 850MHz AMD Athlon processor, AMD continues to demonstrate the capabilities of the processor's architecture, delivering supreme performance for computer users who demand the best," said Larry Hollatz, group vice president of Computation Products at AMD.
"As the AMD Athlon processor maintains its speed leadership, AMD's penetration of the commercial arena should accelerate. The 850MHz AMD Athlon processor provides another superb tool for business users seeking outstanding performance in their highend desktops, workstations and servers. On the consumer forefront, the 850MHz AMD Athlon processor is designed to deliver compelling power for high-performance PC users," said Dana Krelle, vice president of Marketing of Computation Products at AMD.
What the Analysts Say
"With its lightning fast 850MHz AMD Athlon processor, AMD continues
to intensify the competition at the high-end of the desktop market,"
said Nathan Brookwood, principal analyst at Insight 64.
"The microprocessor industry is engaged in a heated battle right now, and computer users will continue to witness breakneck clock speeds as a result. It is exciting to see," said Mike Feibus, principal analyst at Mercury Research.
Multiple Manufacturers To Offer 850MHz AMD Athlon™
Processor-Based Systems
The AMD Athlon processor's popularity rises with the industry's foremost
computer manufacturers. Compaq, IBM, Gateway, Pionex and CyberMax all
plan on offering systems featuring the 850MHz AMD Athon processor.
"Compaq continues to see tremendous enthusiasm and excitement among consumers for the AMD Athlon processor," said Mark Vena, Director, CTO Product Marketing, Compaq Computer Corporation. "With this next leap forward in processor performance, the Compaq Presario desktop family continues to deliver the ultimate Internet and gaming experience for consumers who require nothing less than the highest power and speed in their desktop systems."
"We have seen a strong demand for the current Aptiva systems, specifically the Aptiva S Series 880 with the 800 MHz AMD Athlon microprocessor. AMD continues to be a reliable partner to IBM in delivering microprocessing technology that enhances productivity by maximizing speed and performance," according to Brian Dalgetty, Director, IBM Desktop Product Marketing. "Coupled with AMD's new 850MHz Athlon processor, we will be able to offer individuals the solutions to satisfy their every computing need at an affordable price."
"It is critical for Pionex's commercial customers to have the best performance in their desktops and workstations in order to keep up with today's demanding applications," said John Amico, vice president of sales at Pionex. "Pionex Elite systems, featuring 850MHz AMD Athlon processors, not only scream with speed, they also provide business users with a value-laden performance platform."
Pricing
The 850MHz AMD Athlon processor is priced at $849 in 1,000 unit quantities.
AMD Athlon™ Processor Awards Around the World
The AMD Athlon processor and AMD Athlon processor-based systems have
received 35 awards from eight different countries spanning four continents.
The following is a listing of the AMD Athlon processor and AMD Athlon
processor-based system awards:
AMD Athlon Processor Awards
AMD Athlon Processor-based Awards
About the AMD Athlon Processor
The AMD Athlon processor is an x86-compatible, seventh-generation design
featuring a superpipelined, nine-issue superscalar microarchitecture
optimized for high clock frequency; the industry's first fully pipelined,
superscalar floating point unit for x86 platforms; high-performance
cache technology, including 128KB of on-chip level (L1) cache and a
programmable, high-performance backside L2 cache interface; enhanced
3DNow!™ technology with 24 additional instructions designed to
improve integer math calculations, data movement for Internet streaming,
and DSP communications; and the AMD Athlon system bus a 200MHz system
interface based on the Alpha™ EV6 bus protocol with support for
scalable multiprocessing. AMD Athlon processors are now manufactured
using AMD's aluminum 0.18-micron process technology in Fab 25 in Austin,
Texas.
Cautionary Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant
to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are generally preceded by words
such as "plans," "expects," "believes," "anticipates" or "intends."
Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements in this
release involve risks and uncertainty that could cause actual results
to differ materially from current expectations. Forward-looking statements
in this release include the risk that computer manufacturers, including
Compaq, IBM, Gateway, Pionex and CyberMax may not release systems incorporating
the 850MHz AMD Athlon processor on schedule or at all, that demand for
the AMD Athlon processor will not be strong or remain at current levels,
and that AMD will not be able to produce the processor in the volume
and speed grades required by customers using the 0.18 micron process
technology on a timely basis. We urge investors to review in detail
the risks and uncertainties in the Company's filings with the United
States Securities Exchange Commission.