Advanced Micro Devices today introduced its AMD Athlon 64 3400+ microprocessor for desktop and desktop replacement personal computers. The chip itself is among the fastest CPUs in the world and is available immediately from Sunnyvale, California-based chipmaker as well as from leading system OEMs on the planet.

The new chip uses 754-pin packaging and is fully drop-in compatible with existing Socket 754 infrastructure. The highest performing central processing unit from the Athlon 64 family – the AMD Athlon 64 3400+ – works at 2.20GHz, incorporates 1MB of secondary cache and sports AMD’s Cool’n’Quiet technology. The chip with 3400+ model number exists not only in desktop version, but also in a flavour designed for desktop replacement notebooks.

AMD’s new processor is quoted at $418, meanwhile the price of the Athlon 64 3200+ is lowered to $278. The entry-level 64-bit 3000+ chip from Advanced Micro Devices is now available for $218. All prices reflect commercial quantities starting from 1000 units.

As expected, performance figures delivered by the Athlon 64 3400+ are very close to those of the highest-end AMD processor today – the Athlon 64 FX-51 – announced back in September, or, even exceed the bar set by the FX-51 in certain benchmarks. If you are interested, check our AMD Athlon 64 3400+ review for details.

Later in the quarter Sunnyvale, California-based CPU developer is supposed to reveal its AMD Athlon 64 FX-53 – a 2.40GHz 64-bit microprocessor with dual-channel memory and 1MB of L2 cache. The product will be intended for Socket 940 and Socket 939 eventually.

AMD Athlon 64 microprocessors have been available in different stores since last week for the price of  $440 to $533.