AMD has lopped list prices by between 7 and 52 per cent for Athlon mobile and desktop processors. The deepest cuts are to be found on the mobile line, while the range for desktops is between 11 per cent and 32 per cent.

From today, the Athlon XP 2100 is $224, down 32 per cent from $330. The 2000+ is $193, (-32 per cent from $330), while the Athlon XP 1900+ (-22 per cent from $220).

The biggest price cut is reserved for the Mobile Athlon XP 1700+ which is cut a whopping 52 per cent from $489 to $235. Its 1600+ sister is down 49 per cent from $380 to $192.

The full price list is here. As per usual, all prices are for OEM quantities of 1,000.

These are real price cuts, but not as big as one may think. For as long as we remember, AMD's 'real' prices have traded at a discount, often substantial to the official OEM price list. The active CPU broking market has resulted in an even greater divergence. So, much of the drops are already reflected in today's street price.

This will keep its products competitive with Intel - AMD likes to maintain list prices at 10-15 per cent less than equivalent performing Intel chip.

At the same time it will help clear stocks in advance of the seasonal slowdown as we approach summer. AMD launches the new Thoroughbred chip next month (cooler, cheaper, smaller die), in time for the big PC building season, which starts in August for Back to School promotions, and reaches a crescendo late November/ early December, to hit the Christmas rush.

Last week, Intel introduced new OEM prices for most of its top-line desktop P4s, cutting some lines by more than 40 per cent. ®