Advance Micro Introduces Faster Chip for Laptops

Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Intel Corp.’s biggest rival in personal-computer processors, said it started selling a faster chip for inexpensive laptops as competition increases in that market.

The company introduced a 1-gigahertz Duron chip for mobile PCs that sells for $160 each in volume shipments, spokesman Todd Burch said. Older Durons reached 950 megahertz.

Advanced Micro, whose processors have grabbed sales from Intel in consumer desktop PCs, is trying to build on that success with new chips for laptops. Chief Executive Jerry Sanders has said he wants the Sunnyvale, Calif., company to sell to half the market by year-end, up from just 1.8% in March.

Compaq Computer Corp. will offer systems with the new Duron immediately, and machines will be available in retail stores in the first quarter, Burch said.