Hewlett-Packard on Wednesday announced the launch of its new business notebook comprising the latest mobile chip developed by Advanced Micro Devices. In many ways, the launch, which will provide buyers an alternative to Intel-only notebooks, signals the end of Intel’s strong hold on the corporate laptop processors market.
HP’s new nx6125 notebook is the AMD version of its nx6120 that runs Intel's Centrino technology. HP Business Notebooks manager Matt Mazzantini said the company built the new AMD version of its business notebook to give customers a choice. HP would continue building both an AMD and an Intel version of its notebooks going forward, he added.
For business users, the most notable difference between the two platforms from HP is that the new AMD version includes a fingerprint ID reader as an added security feature.
The launch of AMD’s latest Turion 64 mobile chip on an HP machine will provide AMD a strong footing in Intel’s notebook territory, an area in which the latter commands more than half the global market.
Incidentally, Turion 64 mobile technology is the only available processor offering both 64 bits and enhanced security for thin and light notebook PCs, which are preferred by many business professionals.
According to Marty Seyer, corporate vice-president and general manager of AMD’s microprocessor solutions sector, the company’s open-standard architecture enables a platform to provide the industry's best options for wireless, graphics, 64 bits and security, while providing a smooth 64-bit migration path to IT buyers worldwide. The new processor, dubbed Turion ML-40, clocks 2.2GHz and is priced at $525 in 1,000-unit quantities.
Turion is the first processor designed by AMD for mobile computing and the first that competes directly with rival Intel's Pentium M processor. But unlike the Pentium M, Turion is a 64-bit chip. However, that is of no consequence to users of the new HP machine, since HP only supports 32-bit technology.
