Lenovo Group, China's largest computer manufacturer, announced Thursday it will use Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) chips in a new line of desktop personal computers, but denied this meant a breakup with old partner Intel.

Two new personal computers of Lenovo's V8000 and V6000 series were introduced Thursday, which use AMD's Athlon 64 microprocessors, while all Lenovo computers used to carry Intel chips.

Guo Dongyan, Lenovo's spokesman, highly praised the performance of AMD's microprocessors, saying "the markedly faster processing speed is perfectly embodied in the two new kinds of computers".

But he denied that Lenovo was drifting apart from Intel, emphasizing that the two enjoyed a "long-tested" strategic partnership and would not be affected by the AMD's emergence.

"Lenovo is now only using AMD microprocessors for its consumer PCs and is not considering applying it to commercial PCs and servers at this stage," said Guo.

Formerly known as Legend, the group enjoys about 27 percent of China's PC market. But market analysts said the slow growth of computer sales in the first half of this year forced the computer giant to turn to AMD chips to reduce cost, which Guo refused to comment on.

(Xinhua News Agency June 11, 2004)