AMD is believed to be preparing to launch a 1.3GHz Athlon on Monday.

The chip is expected some time this quarter - CEO Jerry Sanders said as much at a Q4 financials conference call this week - but a Monday launch would nicely follow Intel's price cuts, which are expected to be implemented the day before.

Certainly one Register reader, when last week attempting to order a 1.2GHz part from a UK supplier, was told he'd have to wait two weeks for it and "by then the 1.3 will be out".

Sanders' roadmap pegs Q2 as the release timeframe for 1.4 and 1.5GHz Athlons, with a 1.7GHz part coming in the second half of the year. ®

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