AMD recently launched a new range of Phenom II processors aimed at snatching back market share from arch-rival Intel.

While AMD admitted Intel’s Core i7 technology has capitalised on the increased data rate of DDR3, it claimed to have taken developments one stage further.

Unlike Core i7, explained AMD’s head of sales Craig Connell, Phenom processors will not need to populate all three memory slots at the same time. AMD’s architecture can do the job with two, he said.

He claimed that from 9 February the channel can enjoy the benefits of the resulting performance improvement. Quad-core Phenom II processors, such as the 805 (running at 2.5Ghz with 4MB cache), the 810 (2.66Ghz, 4MB cache) and the 910 (2.6Ghz with 6MB cache), have created massive interest among system builders already, he claimed.

While AMD has struggled to provide an answer to the sales arguments made for Intel’s dual-core technology, the new triple-core X3 Phenom II parts could provide some salvation, he predicted.

AMD has added a product aimed squarely at the gaming and high-performance PC users. The Phenom II X3 720 has a Black Edition processor, designed for ‘pure overclocking’.

All will be available as ‘trays’ or ‘processors in a box’, except the 910 and 805, which are ‘tray only’ products aimed at system integrators.

Support for the new products is crucial, said Connell, who added that he was cheered by the response of partners. “Support for our new technology has been great, and all the key partners have created new series of motherboards,” he said.

Asus, Biostar, ECS, Foxconn, Jetway, Gigabyte, MSI and Sapphire are reportedly launching new boards.

Tony Riccardi, marketing director for system builder Mesh, said the competition will be good news for consumers and system builders alike and is long overdue.

“Intel seems to have a serious challenge on its hands for the first time in ages and the extra attention on new technologies and launches will be great,” he said.

"Customers love choice and they love buying competitively priced technology that provides them with a measure of future-proofing. With Phenom II, that is exactly what we are seeing.”

AMD insiders predict that the move to DDR3 memory will add five per cent to AMD’s performance figures across the board.