Chicago (IL) - A report published today claims that AMD is pushing back its quad-core desktop processor Phenom until the first quarter of next year. However, AMD told TG Daily that the CPU will be available in H2 of this year, "most likely" in Q4.

If there is something that AMD cannot afford to happen right now, then it is a delay of its quad-core processors. With Intel's 45 nm Penryn chips ready to launch in Q4 AMD will have to ship the processor in the same time frame.

Digitimes this morning published an article, which mentions the possibility that the CPU in fact could be delayed. The publication writes that sources at motherboard makers mentioned that Phenom will head into test-production in November or December and will launch in first quarter of 2008. According to Digitimes, "several motherboard makers" already have reacted to this situation and "have made plans to decrease shipments of socket AM2+ motherboards and to increase those of Intel's platform."

AMD responded quickly and said that Phenom is on track for a H2 introduction. Product manager Ian McNaughton told TG Daily that the CPU is "most likely" to launch sometime in Q4 with processors being available on the day of the announcement. However, McNaughton said that AMD could not comment on actual computer systems being available for purchase at that time.