Lenovo gets second helping of AMD chips

Lenovo is expanding its use of Advanced Micro Devices chips with the introduction of a second line of AMD-based desktop computers.

The new A60 series is the first ThinkCentre-branded desktop personal line with an AMD processor to be made available worldwide, a Lenovo representative said Monday. Computers with the brand are aimed at medium and large businesses, and the ThinkCentre A60 is slated to be announced on Tuesday.

The move follows the February launch of the Lenovo 3000 J105, the first AMD-based Lenovo desktop PC configuration to be released in the U.S. The 3000 series is a more economical line of products, targeted at small businesses and individual users.

The increase in Lenovo's use of the chips is another sign of AMD's advances in its tussle with rival Intel.

"Our customers have been asking for choice," said Thomas Tobul, executive director for global desktop marketing at Lenovo. "By adding AMD processors to our portfolio, we can offer our customers a range of price points and we can use that portfolio expansion to increase our share in the market place."

Lenovo is the world's third-largest PC seller, but most of its strength lies in its home base of China and similar markets. The majority of the computers it ships are Intel-based notebooks sold under the ThinkPad brand, which it acquired from IBM. In China, Lenovo has been selling AMD-based PCs for some time, the company representative said.

The ThinkCentre A60 will be available later this month from Lenovo and its resellers. Prices for the ThinkCentre A60 start at $379 with an AMD Sempron processor, and $519 with AMD Athlon 64 processor.