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With Windows 7 quickly approaching next month, now is the best time for new product announcements to coincide with the OS release.  Usually that would mean new desktops, laptops, and this time around, netbooks.  AMD is taking a different angle, however, and is going after those who build their own PCs.  What better way to do that than to put out a new CPU that’s cheaper than anything Intel is currently offering.

The new CPU, the AMD Athlon II X4, is the first quad-core chip to be introduced at a price of $99.  The chip is $50 less than the Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200, which should make it at least a bit more viable.  The Athlon II X4 may not be the fastest CPU available, AMD’s previous Phenom II X3 (with 3 cores) will more often be the faster chip, though it does cost $20 more.

It’s interesting that AMD would go after the desktop PC crowd with it’s new chip.  Laptops and netbooks seem to be the main segments of the PC market as of late.  Though it is true that desktops tend to be cheaper than laptops, and even cheaper when you build them yourself.  This market might be a good place to start to gain back some market, or even mind share in the industry.  Sure, when building an ultimate gaming machine the AMD Athlon II X4 simply doesn’t stack up to the Core i7, but for those looking to build cheaper desktops to run Windows 7, it’s certainly a good choice.  Even if it doesn’t turn out too well for AMD, or you really want Intel chips, it might convince Intel to put out a cheaper quad-core chip, or just go the current Apple route and keep the current models when they debut the next generation, but knock the price down to compete better.

Read [Cnet News]