Just days before Intel's developer forum being held in Shanghai next week, AMD has rolled out a number of triple- and quad-core desktop processors, aimed at a broad swath of users, from gamers to mainstream users and high-performance quad-core system users.

First, for gamers and digital media users, AMD is rolling out its Phenom X3 8000 series triple-core processors, designed to improve multi-threaded application performance over dual-core processors at the same clock speed.

AMD is claiming the Phenom X3 processors as the world's only triple-core x86 processors, and which aim to bring multi-core technology to users who want desktop PCs that are capable of handling digital entertainment applications.

When paired with its 780 series chipset, AMD noted the Phenom X3 processors allow enhancements in gaming and high-definition experiences for mainstream PC users - including full HD support for VC-1, MPEG-2 and H.264 formats.

AMD's unified video decoder (UVD) processes HD playback on a GPU rather than the CPU for smooth HD viewing with less lag, stalling and dropped scenes-in the latest Blu-ray titles.

AMD's Bob Brewer, corporate VP, strategic marketing, reminded that last September, the company committed to delivering AMD Phenom triple-core processors in Q1 2008 and that this announcement fulfills that promise.

"AMD understands that today's PC applications are best accelerated with a range of multi-core products from quad- to triple- to dual-core processors, and that's why we now deliver the broadest multi-core desktop lineup in the industry," he said in a statement.

Desktop PCs based on the Phenom X3 processor and 780G chipset will contain DirectX 10 game compatibility, so casual gamers can have experience 3D graphics and dynamic interactivity.

For gamers looking to scale their performance with the addition of a discrete graphics card, performance can be accelerated with ATI hybrid graphics technology, which harnesses the graphics power of an ATI discrete graphics card along with the motherboard GPU, for up to 70% improvements in 3D performance, in some applications, AMD said.

Also, AMD said the 780G chipset is its second generation chipset to contain AMD OverDrive, a user interface for performance tuning.

In the Phenom X3 8000 series, the 8400 and 8600 processors can improve performance over dual-core processors on single-threaded applications and can scale with the same applications that scale with quad-core, AMD explained, while the Phenom triple-core processors can also increase performance for multitasking usage models and multi-threaded applications, aligned with similar benefits available with AMD Phenom X4 quad-core processors.

AMD is collaborating with ZT Systems to premiere the first system containing these triple-core processors on the QVC channel in the States, scheduled to air March 31.

AMD Phenom X3 processors 8400 (2.1 GHz) and 8600 (2.3 GHz)-based systems are expected to be initially available from leading OEMs and system builders.

Next, to allow cool and quiet digital media workhorse PCs, AMD rolled out the energy-efficient desktop quad-core Phenom X4 9100e processors, that operates at a maximum of 65 watts.

As with the Phenom X3 8000 processors discussed above, the Phenom X4 9100e can be coupled with a 780 series chipset for an efficient PC platform that plays Blu-ray movies and allows a rich computing experience for casual gamers and multimedia enthusiasts, the company said.

The processor aims to allow multi-tasking capabilities such as digital content creation while simultaneously checking and writing e-mails, and downloading music files off the Web.

"Energy-efficient processors from AMD not only enable differentiated solutions but are extremely conducive to smaller and sleeker form factors like home theatre PCs that take up less space and operate quietly," Greg White, corporate VP and general manager for AMD's desktop and embedded division, said in the statement.

"PCs such as this can also help reduce energy consumption and the associated environmental impacts of traditional PC form factors."

The AMD Phenom X4 9100e processor contains a number of AMD energy-efficient technologies, including:

• Cool'n'Quiet 2.0 power saving technology; CoolCore technology, which allows more efficient performance by activating or turning off parts of the processor as needed;
• independent dynamic core technology, which allows a fully independent frequency control per processor core that can reduce processor energy consumption by adjusting power usage according to core utilization;
• dual dynamic power management, which allows a split power plane design for independent voltage planes for processor and memory controller for greater control over performance based on system demands; AMD wideband frequency control;
• and multi-point thermal control.

The Phenom X4 9100e is also expected to be available from leading OEMs and system builders.

And lastly, for the high-performance HD gaming and video user, AMD announced four AMD Phenom X4 processors for pairing with its AMD enthusiast platform.

Led by the AMD Phenom X4 9850 Black Edition processor, each CPU contains a quad-core design, and combined with AMD's 790 series chipset, supports up to four ATI Radeon HD 3800 series graphics cards, also known as "Spider," which is meant to speed high-definition video playback, and performance upgrades for advanced productivity and multi-tasking.

These AMD Phenom X4 quad-core processors are meant to improve performance for gaming and multi-threaded applications and contain clock multiplier control for tunable performance that gives scalability and customisable performance levels to run multiple processor-intensive applications simultaneously.

The Phenom quad-core processor contains four natively integrated processor cores to break system bandwidth barriers and turbo-charge HD platform performance and customers can implement AMD Phenom X4 processors 9550 (2.2 GHz) and 9650 (2.3 GHz), or two higher frequency processors: the AMD Phenom X4 9750 (2.4 GHz) and AMD Phenom X4 9850 Black Edition (2.5 GHz) processors.

AMD Phenom X4 processors 9550, 9650, 9750, and 9850 are now available.

By Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor - Electronic News