AMD seals deal to supply China's TCL Computer http://today.reuters.com/news/articlebusiness.aspx?type=media&storyid=nHKG122118&from=business
Thu Jan 25, 2007
HONG KONG, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD.N: Quote, Profile, Research), the world's number two maker of microchips for personal computers, has sealed a deal to supply China's fourth-largest PC vendor, its latest victory against bigger rival Intel (INTC.O: Quote, Profile, Research).
TCL Computer Tech. Co. Ltd. will offer desktops based on AMD64 processors immediately, and AMD64-powered notebooks are expected to be available in April, AMD said in a statement on Thursday.
"This marks an important milestone for China customers, who now have the opportunity to choose AMD processed-based solutions from the region's top seven computer manufacturers," it said.
TCL Computer is a unit of Shenzhen-listed TCL Corp. (000100.SZ: Quote, Profile, Research).
AMD and rival Intel have been competing in China -- now the world's second-largest PC market -- for the past several years, with underdog AMD rapidly gaining market share.
The U.S. company typically competes with better-known Intel by offering comparable chips for less.
AMD scored a major victory in 2004, when it signed its first deal to supply chips to Lenovo Group Ltd. (0992.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) -- the world's third-largest PC maker and China's dominant player.
Last year, it sealed a deal with China's second-largest PC maker, Founder Technology (0418.HK: Quote, Profile, Research).
Intel expects China to overtake the United States as the world's biggest PC market by 2010. The chip giant still dominates the market with an estimated three-quarter share, while AMD controls about 18 percent, according to Chinese media and official sources.
But that is a major improvement for AMD from just four years earlier, when it held 5 percent versus Intel's 90 percent.
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