Advanced Micro Devices Inc launched its latest quad-core processor code-named "Shanghai" in the city yesterday, the first computer chip with a name of a Chinese city.
Through the new processor, AMD, the world's No. 2 computer chip vendor, hopes to grab a bigger slice of the market from leader Intel in server computer and high-end personal computer sectors, industry insiders said.
The 45-nanometer quad-core AMD Opteron processor improves performance by 35 percent and reduces power consumption by 35 percent, compared with AMD's process processor Barcelona, according to United States-based AMD. The new processor is mainly designed for computer servers now.
"It really meets the demand of clients for high performance, low consumption, virtualization and investment protection," said Vanoy Wang, vice president of AMD China.
AMD's partners from Dell, HP, Sun, Dawning, Huawei and IBM attended the launch conference. The Shanghai Supercomputer Center, which has adopted supercomputers with AMD processors, has high expectations of "Shanghai."
The name represented the company's focus in China during the global financial crisis, according to CCID Consulting, a Beijing-based research firm.
Through the new product, AMD is expected to turn to the black from a flow of red ink in 2009, according to the company. AMD posted a net loss of US$67 million in the third quarter.
It also announced recently it would spin off its semiconductor manufacturing subsidiary next year.
