Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) yesterday announced that its long-awaited first 32-nanometer Llano chips are now being shipped to computer manufacturers. California-based chipmaker's CFO & interim chief executive Thomas Seifert said that Llano-based computers would become available in the running quarter of this year.

During the analysts call on Monday, Mr. Seifert said, "Customers are very excited about Llano coming to market and we will look forward to seeing our Llano-based systems in the market this quarter -- the second quarter.” Llano will target mainstream laptops and desktops, which will cost starting at US$499.

However, the first Llano parts, or APUs (Accelerated Processing Units) are in all probability laptop chips. The A8-3510MX features a 1.8-GHz, quad-core CPU with 4MB of L2 cache, a DirectX 11-compatible ATI Radeon HD 6620M GPU which clocks in arrange of 500MHz to 725MHz plus an integrated memory controller.

Llano’s desktop version, which is expected to ship in the third or fourth quarter of this year, features almost a dozen dual-core and quad-core APU products.

AMD also maintained its full-year and long-term margin forecasts following changes in a supply agreement with its manufacturing partner Globalfoundries Inc