AMD: desktop PC is alive and kicking
And new six-core products will be another boost
AMD's Leslie Sobon believes that the desktop PC is due a resurgence, and is hoping that the company's Leo and Dorado platforms and the six-core Thuban processor can give the industry a shot in the arm.
With laptops and desktops now dominating sales, you would be forgiven for thinking that the desktop is in terminal decline.
However, Sobon, AMD's vice president of marketing, insists that there is life in the old desktop dog yet.
Hanging in
"As much as people keep talking about the demise of desktops they're hanging in there," Sobon told TechRadar.
"The market is on our side from everything that we've seen. There is still cool technology coming…and enthusiasts will always keep it alive so it's not going to die."
AMD's high-profile Thuban processors, combined with the mainstream Dorado and higher-end Leo platforms are arriving, and Sobon believes that this brings huge benefits.
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"We've got two new platforms that we are launching - the first one is Dorado which is clearly for the mainstream – it's dual, triple and quad, both discrete and UMA configurations, but it's really entry on up," she said
"Leo sits at the top end: our six core desktop product that's really for the hardcore gamer or the video enthusiasts that are editing and creating movies.
"These groups want either the headroom, because they feel the games are going to get there, or with video to take advantage of all the cores right now."
Budget friendly
AMD are keen to continue their sensible pricing strategy – not breaking the bank for enthusiasts and gamers.
"This six core product is going to be very affordable – you can see it in PCs at under $1000 so we're going to keep our mantra of 'best price performance'," added Sobon.
"So it's going to be absolutely accessible to the enthusiast community who want to buy a finished PC or, of course, build their own."
Patrick Goss is the ex-Editor in Chief of TechRadar. Patrick was a passionate and experienced journalist, and he has been lucky enough to work on some of the finest online properties on the planet, building audiences everywhere and establishing himself at the forefront of digital content. After a long stint as the boss at TechRadar, Patrick has now moved on to a role with Apple, where he is the Managing Editor for the App Store in the UK.