AMD will eventually launch Barcelona for OEM's at low clock speeds up to 2 GHz in August and you will be able to get one of these without systems in September or very late Q3 but the real 2GHz+ K10 cores will come in Q4. We said this around Computex time and it looks we were right all along.

Launching a lower clocked version is an act of a desperate who wants to prove the point to analysts and investors but it won't bring AMD a clear victory.

Intel can clock Penryn to at last 3.33 GHz with a new 45 nanometre process and it will be ready with Harpertown in Q4 and will ship in volume in Q1. We have our doubts that Barcelona or Agena or any other K10 cores are so good where 2.5 GHz CPU can wipe out the floor with 3.33 GHz quad core part but we have to see this.

AMD has a rough year and hopefully this will be over with a Xmas time but we don’t think that AMD has a chance to shine in 2008 either as Intel has quite impressive roadmap.