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AMD and The Push in the Mobile Market

This content was originally featured on Amdmb.com and has been converted to PC Perspective's website. Some color changes and flaws may appear.

AMD has been attempting to get into the mobile market of sales for as long as I can remember. Their initial attempts were less that successful with the K6 line of processors. Yes, they did make a slight dent in the otherwise impenetrable armor of Intel, but their products were never looked at in the same light. They were big, bulky and not as powerful or fast as their Intel powered counterpart machines.

With the release of the first Athlon XP processors based on the Palomino core back in October of 2001, AMD has been touting their readiness to enter the mobile market. The process of their entry has been slow and tedious, to say the least. With each processor release from AMD on the desktop market, a corresponding release of the mobile processor was also usually announced – but we rarely saw any products available to users for months at a time.

The reason was simply because AMD didn’t have the same number of companies wanting to use AMD processors in the laptops. When Intel releases a new mobile chip, the infrastruture is already there and the necessary research and development is very fast. But in AMD’s case, system builders nearly had to start from scratch and that is why we see such a long delay between product releases and product availability.

Just another point in the same manner is that the laptop review that you are reading today is based on the Athlon XP 1800+ processor – one that was released to the mobile market on July 15th, 2002.

		processor and memory
		CPU / processor		min: Athlon XP1400+ (1.2 GHz) max: Athlon XP2000+ (1.67 GHz)
		cache description		256KB L2 cache
		memory description		min: 128 MB max: 1024 MB
		video
		display size		13.3, 14.1 or 15-in TFT XGA or 15-in TFT SXGA+
		display resolution		External video: Up to 32-bit per pixel color depth. Supports 640 x 480, 800 x 600, 1024 x 768, 1280 x 1024, 1400 x 1050, 1600 x 1200, or 2048 X 1536 resolutions up to 160-Hz refresh rate dependent upon monitor capability, resolution and color depth settings.
		video adapter description		ATI Radeon IPG video graphics with 16MB DDR SDRAM
		storage
		hard drive		min: 20 GB max: 40 GB
		optional modules		8X DVD/CD-RW combination drive, 16X CD-RW drive, 8X DVD-ROM drive or 24X CD-ROM drive
		audio and ports
		audio		JBL Pro Speakers with bass reflex and 16-bit stereo sound; Dedicated hardware volume controls; headphone-out port, microphone-in port
		I/O ports		Enhanced Parallel EPP/ECP; and 2 USB Ports
		communications		Type III Mini PCI 56K (V.92) modem
		slots		One Type II PC Card slot which supports both 32-bit CardBus and 16-bit PC Cards
		power		External 90-watt AC adapter, 6-foot power cord included. Total length including External AC adapter is 12 feet .
		keyboard		102-key compatible keyboard with isolated, inverted-T cursor control keys, and right-control key, special feature hotkeys for instant access to power conservation, toggle between internal and external, or simultaneous displays, and control brightness and contrast.
		mouse / pointing device description		Touchpad with 4-way scroll
		software
		operating system		Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional Edition or Microsoft® Windows® XP Home preinstalled with support for Windows 2000
		drivers and utilities / pre-installed software		Diagnostics for Microsoft Windows; DVD Playback Software; Compaq Security Management; Safety and Comfort Guide; Compaq Power Management Acrobat® Reader; Reference Guide; Norton Internet Security; Compaq Easy Access Button Software
		software included		Diagnostics for Microsoft Windows; DVD Playback Software; Compaq Security Management; Safety and Comfort Guide; Compaq Power Management Acrobat® Reader; Reference Guide; Norton Internet Security; Compaq Easy Access Button Software
		manageability
		security management		Configuration Control Hardware; Memory Change Alert; Ownership Tag; Set-up Password; Power-On Password; Enabled for PC SmartCard options; Kensington Lock
		mobility
		weight		From 6.6 lb.
		dimensions (w x d x h)		12.89 x 10.53 x 1.55 in.
		warranty and support		One-year, Worldwide Limited Warranty, pick-up or carry-in. Warranty term upgrades and toll-free 7 X 24 hardware technical phone suport available. Certain restrictions and exclusions apply.

Click here for the Detailed Review