Sony has started shipping several Vaio notebooks based on AMD’s latest Athlon II X2 mobile processors. Engadget has stumbled upon a couple of listings of the new models  in the US and the prices seem to be quite tempting. Athlonized Vaios cost some 10 to 15 percent less than comparable models based on Intel parts.

This is the first time Sony opted to use AMD chips in its notebooks since 2005 and it appears AMD’s mobile processor business is going through something of a renaissance.  Several major notebook makers, including Lenovo, Toshiba, HP and Dell have launched quite a few new notebooks based on AMD chips. Acer has also introduced a shedload of new SKUs catering to AMD fans.

Although AMD still can’t compete with Intel in terms of performance, it’s quite clear the company’s latest mobile CPUs offer excellent value for money. This is especially true in the quad-core market, where consumers can score massive savings if they chose to go with AMD processors.

More here.