The successor to the Duron processor from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) may be named the Athlon FX, according to sources. The Athlon FX will adopt the Thorton core, a toned-down version of Athlon XP’s current Barton core, with 256K of L2 cache instead of 512K.
Four processor speeds between 2000+ to 2600+ (1.65-2.06GHz) will be available upon release, almost certain to be 2000+, 2200+, 2400+ and 2600+, according to sources. Volume production is already underway.
AMD’s Duron processor has been suffering from poor consumer sentiment and brand image, with retail prices dropping to roughly US$30, its historical low. Along with AMD’s upcoming Athlon 64 processor for mainstream desktops and Opteron for server/workstations, the Athlon FX should breathe new life into its value processor line.