Mesh first with AMD Phenom II PC

High-end AMD platform to challenge Intel


AMD has launched its new Dragon high-performance PC platform alongside a new range of Phenom II processors, and PCs based on the technology are now available in the UK.

Mesh Computers is one of the first UK manufacturers to offer the technology, releasing a new range of Mesh Matrix II systems starting with an AMD Phenom II X4 920-based desktop costing £749.

The Matrix II includes an HIS 4850 IceQ graphics accelerator on an AMD-chipset mainboard from Asus. The system is supplied with a 22in Iiyama widescreen monitor that supports full HD resolutions up to 1920x1080.

The Windows Vista 64-bit Mesh Matrix II X4 940 uses the more powerful of the AMD processors, with all four 64-bit cores running at 3GHz, as well as a 1GB HIS 4870 IceQ4+ graphics card. The hard drive doubles to 1TB and the system comes complete with a Blu-Ray drive.

More details will be available on the Mesh website later today.

The Phenom II is based on AMD's new 45-nanometre manufacturing process, and some analysts believe the chip will allow AMD to overtake Intel in terms of raw performance for the first time in years. Phenom II chips have up to 8MB of cache and clock speeds start at 3GHz. Using a 45nm process shrinks the width between circuits, therefore the power demands are lower.

AMD is launching the chip range at the Consumer Electronics Show, which kicked off with Steve Ballmer's keynote in Las Vegas last night, but begins in earnest today. AMD chief executive Dirk Meyer is scheduled to give one of the keynote speeches.