Graphic: AMD enhances Vista with integrated 690 chipset

**Anilrgowda** · 01-Mar-2007, 10:16 PM

AMD has introduced the 690 series chipset, integrating an ATI Radeon X1250 graphics chip with more than enough grunt to attain certification for the Windows Vista Premium ‘Aero’ experience – but is it enough to challenge Intel?Struggling to regain the ascendancy AMD once enjoyed in the performance stakes pre-Intel’s Core 2 Duo revolution, which once again thrust Intel firmly into the lead both in performance and sales figures, AMD purchased graphics card maker ATI last year. Why?
To be able to tap into ATI’s vast graphics knowledge and experience to create better AMD products to take the fight back to Intel, especially in the area of integrated chipsets. They are important because they allow AMD to sell a solution, rather than having to cobble together their processors with other companies’ graphics chips.
That’s where the AMD 690 chipset comes in. Using the ATI Radeon X1250 graphic chip, it works with Vista Premium (for great Aero, Flip 3D and Vista eye-candy), has a DVI output (as well as regular VGA) letting you connect it digitally (and easily) to flat panel widescreen TVs, supports HDMI if you want to use that instead, and offers HDCP (high definition content protection) output so you can play protected content on your screen at the high resolution it was intended to display in.
AMD say that 690 is also ideal for running Vista’s ‘Media Center’, which turns Vista into a fully fledged digital TV with hard disk video recorder, music player, DVD player, online video displayer and TV show and movie downloader. Media Center offers an slickly integrated interface that is somewhat reminiscent of the ‘Cross Media Bar’ or XMB used on the Sony PSP and their new PS3 and can be operated by keyboard, mouse or a DVD-style remote control.
The AMD 690 is a product that AMD has wanted to release for some time now, and the $5+ billion acquisition of ATI has made it possible. AMD is working with 10 motherboard manufacturers to get this chipset out to the market, and the list of motherboard makers already on board includes ASUS, Foxconn Technology Group, Gigabyte United and Elitegroup Computer Systems.
Intel has offered integrated chipsets for years, with the Centrino chipset used in many notebook computers an instant example of the power of an integrated solution. With Centrino, Intel offers a main processor (these days usually the Core 2 Duo), an integrated graphics solution and an integrated wireless chipset. These three components on the one motherboard are nowadays called Centrino Duo, and it has been enormously successful for Intel.
Intel also offers a similar solution for desktop computers, and AMD wants some of the integrated action, which is hardly surprising. Indeed, the 690 was due to arrive late last year to better take advantage of the end-of-year computer buying cycle, but was delayed. Still, it’s better late than never, and at least Vista is here now to entice people when they buy a new PC.
That’s great news for AMD, who has done a deal with Microsoft to appear as the sponsoring chip maker whenever there are Vista ads on television, in an attempt to show customers that it’s perfectly OK to buy an AMD chip when you next buy your computer, as hey, Microsoft has the logo in their ad!
How successful this will be is yet to be seen, but AMD is no beginner in the PC market. No doubt, after seeing how successful the ‘Intel Inside’ campaign was for more than a decade, AMD decided that hitching their logo to Vista could only help.
Now the AMD 690 chipset is here to help more. Although AMD’s dual core processors are still slower than Intel’s, AMD’s technology will still run Vista and help you get all your work done. Unless AMD can regain the performance crown, they will have to compete on price rather than raw performance to stay competitive, while still making sure to deliver decent performance that will keep most consumers more than happy enough.
It’s a step AMD has needed to take for some time to start catching back up to Intel. It doesn’t put them in front, but it’s an important step in the right direction for AMD, who are clearly trying to put their best foot forward on their journey of 1000 miles, all the while on the lookout for Intel trying to trip them up!

source:iTWire

01-Mar-2007, 10:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
Anilrgowda Administrator Posts: 18,715 Join Date: Jan 2006 Rep Power: 10 IM:	Graphic: AMD enhances Vista with integrated 690 chipset AMD has introduced the 690 series chipset, integrating an ATI Radeon X1250 graphics chip with more than enough grunt to attain certification for the Windows Vista Premium ‘Aero’ experience – but is it enough to challenge Intel?Struggling to regain the ascendancy AMD once enjoyed in the performance stakes pre-Intel’s Core 2 Duo revolution, which once again thrust Intel firmly into the lead both in performance and sales figures, AMD purchased graphics card maker ATI last year. Why? To be able to tap into ATI’s vast graphics knowledge and experience to create better AMD products to take the fight back to Intel, especially in the area of integrated chipsets. They are important because they allow AMD to sell a solution, rather than having to cobble together their processors with other companies’ graphics chips. That’s where the AMD 690 chipset comes in. Using the ATI Radeon X1250 graphic chip, it works with Vista Premium (for great Aero, Flip 3D and Vista eye-candy), has a DVI output (as well as regular VGA) letting you connect it digitally (and easily) to flat panel widescreen TVs, supports HDMI if you want to use that instead, and offers HDCP (high definition content protection) output so you can play protected content on your screen at the high resolution it was intended to display in. AMD say that 690 is also ideal for running Vista’s ‘Media Center’, which turns Vista into a fully fledged digital TV with hard disk video recorder, music player, DVD player, online video displayer and TV show and movie downloader. Media Center offers an slickly integrated interface that is somewhat reminiscent of the ‘Cross Media Bar’ or XMB used on the Sony PSP and their new PS3 and can be operated by keyboard, mouse or a DVD-style remote control. The AMD 690 is a product that AMD has wanted to release for some time now, and the $5+ billion acquisition of ATI has made it possible. AMD is working with 10 motherboard manufacturers to get this chipset out to the market, and the list of motherboard makers already on board includes ASUS, Foxconn Technology Group, Gigabyte United and Elitegroup Computer Systems. Intel has offered integrated chipsets for years, with the Centrino chipset used in many notebook computers an instant example of the power of an integrated solution. With Centrino, Intel offers a main processor (these days usually the Core 2 Duo), an integrated graphics solution and an integrated wireless chipset. These three components on the one motherboard are nowadays called Centrino Duo, and it has been enormously successful for Intel. Intel also offers a similar solution for desktop computers, and AMD wants some of the integrated action, which is hardly surprising. Indeed, the 690 was due to arrive late last year to better take advantage of the end-of-year computer buying cycle, but was delayed. Still, it’s better late than never, and at least Vista is here now to entice people when they buy a new PC. That’s great news for AMD, who has done a deal with Microsoft to appear as the sponsoring chip maker whenever there are Vista ads on television, in an attempt to show customers that it’s perfectly OK to buy an AMD chip when you next buy your computer, as hey, Microsoft has the logo in their ad! How successful this will be is yet to be seen, but AMD is no beginner in the PC market. No doubt, after seeing how successful the ‘Intel Inside’ campaign was for more than a decade, AMD decided that hitching their logo to Vista could only help. Now the AMD 690 chipset is here to help more. Although AMD’s dual core processors are still slower than Intel’s, AMD’s technology will still run Vista and help you get all your work done. Unless AMD can regain the performance crown, they will have to compete on price rather than raw performance to stay competitive, while still making sure to deliver decent performance that will keep most consumers more than happy enough. It’s a step AMD has needed to take for some time to start catching back up to Intel. It doesn’t put them in front, but it’s an important step in the right direction for AMD, who are clearly trying to put their best foot forward on their journey of 1000 miles, all the while on the lookout for Intel trying to trip them up! source:iTWire

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