AMD Unveils Branding For High-End PCsAMD Unveils Branding For High-End PCs

Advanced Micro Devices on Tuesday launched a PC brand that would appear on high-end consumer machines using the chipmaker's latest entertainment-enabled semiconductors.

The AMD Live Ultra brand would appear on desktops and notebooks using AMD's latest multi-core products, codenamed Spider and Puma, respectively. AMD is launching the brand to help computer manufacturers lure consumers willing to pay more for improved graphics and processing power.

"Many of today's consumers cite entertainment as the number one use for their PCs, which represents a significant new direction throughout the computing industry," Bob Brewer, VP of marketing and strategy for AMD, said in a statement.

In addition to the hardware, computer makers are expected to offer AMD software called AMD Live Explorer, which offers a 3D approach to browsing a PC's digital media library. AMD did not disclose the names of manufacturers supporting the brand, but said desktop builders would start introducing AMD Live Ultra machines in the first half of this year, and notebook makers in the second half of the year.

Spider comprises AMD's Phenom quad-core desktop chip, an ATI Radeon HD 3800 Series graphics card, and the AMD 7 Series chipset, which has CrossFireX and OverDrive technology. The platform is being marketed to gamers and computer enthusiasts.

The Radeon HD 3800 series supports Microsoft's latest graphics technology, DirectX 10.1. CrossFireX makes it possible for the 7 Series chipset to support up to four graphics cards, useful for graphics performance and running multiple monitors. OverDrive is AMD's utility for boosting Phenom's clock speed and also includes benchmark and stability testing. The chips fit into AMD's AM2+ socket.

Puma comprises AMD's 64 X2 dual-core Griffin processor and a new mobile chipset, called the RS780. The chip package includes support for 802.11n, HyperTransport 3.0, and PCI Express 2.0.

AMD said it has improved energy consumption with Puma by placing the two cores in Griffin on separate power planes, so they can be managed independently. If a job requires only one core, for example, the other can be placed on idle.