AMD announced the arrival of the ATI Radeon HD 2600 and ATI Radeon HD 2400 series, the mid-range and entry-level graphics processors in the ATI Radeon HD 2000 series.

These next-generation graphics processing units (GPU) bring premium support for Windows Vista with DirectX 10 graphics, and built-in multimedia functions for a HD video experience on the PC.

They range from USD $89-$149 (SEP) for the ATI Radeon HD 2600 series and USD $50-$85 (SEP) for the ATI Radeon HD 2400 series. The ATI Radeon HD 2600 and ATI Radeon 2400 series have enjoyed broad customer adoption and are designed into a significant number of major OEM mainstream and value DirectX 10 PCs to be shipped in 2H07.

The powerful second-generation unified shader architecture introduces the era of immersive HD gaming, delivering an ideal balance of high performance, advanced visual effects and realism for both the casual and avid gamer.

The ATI Radeon HD 2600 series and ATI Radeon HD 2400 series provide graphics performance for quick multitasking between applications with the Windows Aero 3D user interface. ATI Catalyst graphics management software is certified for Windows Vista and is designed for quick and easy setup of graphics, video, and multiple displays.

Both series feature the Unified Video Decoder (UVD) for advanced hardware HD video processing and HDMI with built-in HD audio controller for stunning big-screen entertainment. ATI Avivo HD technology delivers sharp images and color fidelity for Blu-ray and HD DVD content. With support for Blu-ray discs and HD DVDs, CyberLink’s PowerDVD Ultra, now offers support for UVD technology from AMD, ensuring enhanced video quality with low CPU utilization.

Using a 65 nm process technology to reduce power consumption, certain ATI Radeon HD 2600 series and ATI Radeon HD 2400 series models are designed to be passively. Availability for both products is expected in early July.