AMD touts Business Class service to PC vendors

AMD today tried to claw corporate customers back from Intel with its first ever strictly business platform.

The struggling chip maker is targeting enterprise and SMB markets with its AMD Business Class programme, intended to make it easier for PC makers to develop AMD-based machines.

Under the new roadmap, AMD - which is perhaps best known for dishing up chips to the consumer market - has released its first commercial desktop platform aimed squarely at biz customers.

The company said the new platform will come loaded with a variety of CPUs and chipsets, including Phenom X3 triple-core, Phenom X4 quad-core and Athlon X2 dual-core processors.

AMD has also extended its processor warranties from one to three years, as well as guaranteeing that processors will remain available for two years.

It said channel partners will be able to get their hands on the new platform for up to 18 months under its AMD Validated Solutions (AVS) program.

The chip maker is working with manufacturers MSI and ECS, and added that it has plans to link arms with Asus down the road.

The firm hasn’t confirmed any deals with computer vendors, but several reports suggest that Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Lenovo, Acer and Fujitsu Siemens will shortly announce new PCs based on AMD’s Business Class technology initiative.

Earlier this month the firm posted its sixth consecutive loss, for the first quarter of 2008. AMD brought in revenues of $1.51bn, but made a net loss of $358m and an operating loss of $264m.

AMD, which recently said it would cut one in ten jobs after suffering from falling sales across its whole business, will be hoping the new strategy to plump up market share by punting platforms to biz customers will help turn its woeful performance around.®