Customers trust AMD for critical server applications, as evidenced by our record Q2 2006 AMD Opteron processor sales, and, in 2006, AMD expects to double the number of AMD Opteron processor-based systems offered from global and regional tier-one OEMs, says Gaith Kadir, AMD regional vice-president, Middle East and Africa.

In addition to launching the processors, AMD also announced the completion of the design, or tape-out, of its native Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors. These processors are claimed to represent another example of the benefits from AMDs strategy to introduce new technologies with minimal customer disruption for maximum value.

AMD plans to deliver to customers in mid-2007 native Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors that incorporate four processor cores on a single die of silicon.

Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors are intended to be electrical-, thermal- and socket-compatible with the Next-Generation AMD Opteron processors. According to AMD, the consistency and stability offered by Next-Generation AMD Opteron processors also enhances the potential benefits to OEMs, system-builders and semiconductor companies who elect to innovate on the AMD64 architecture via the AMD Torrenza initiative.

Torrenza aims to capitalise on the Direct Connect Architecture and HyperTransport technology advantages of the AMD64 architecture to enable other processor and hardware providers to innovate within a common ecosystem.