AMD Gears Up for Future Intel Wars

Bobcat and Bulldozer represent the first fundamentally new microarchitecture since AMD introduced its Opteron in 2003, and they will showcase the so-called Fusion technology that integrates graphics and computing capabilities on the same microprocessor core.

Bulldozer is designed for servers, desktops and notebooks and will improve performance per watt by up to two times, AMD said.

Bobcat will be targeted toward consumer electronic devices that require extreme power efficiency. AMD said the product is targeted for 2009 release; it will initially be available for digital televisions and will eventually spread to ultramobile PCs and other handheld gadgets.

Intel unveiled details about a similar product, dubbed Silverthorne, earlier this year.

"It's good to see things three or four years down the road," said Jim McGregor, an analyst at industry research firm InStat.

But AMD is coming off some tough quarters, McGregor noted, and has nothing besides Barcelona and Phenom to carry it through until Bobcat and Bulldozer.

"Intel got aggressive again," McGregor said. "Now AMD needs to get aggressive again."

Shares of AMD slumped along with most tech stocks Thursday, closing down 5.5% to $14.73.