SUNNYVALE, Calif. — Advanced Micro Devices Inc. has demonstrated two different versions of its Athlon microprocessor running at 900 MHz. One uses the company's standard 0.18-micron process with aluminum interconnects, while the second is produced at the same line width but comes from AMD's Dresden, Germany, fab and features copper interconnects.
The news comes just days after reports that rival Intel Corp. has pushed up the release schedule for its 750 MHz and 800 MHz Pentium III chips. AMD's fastest chip currently available is the 750-MHz Athlon , and while Intel seems to have regained the lead in the megahertz race, industry observers have noted that the fastest Pentium III devices are in very short supply.
"In the past, Intel has not released a product until it was available in volume," an AMDspokesman said. "But now it seems like they are feeling the effect of competition."
AMD plans to release an 800-MHz part next quarter and expects to crack the 1-GHz barrier in mid-2000.
"Through next year, we will have the fastest processors available," said the spokesman.
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