AMD has unveiled its new processor for tablets, the AMD Z-Series Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), aiming to take on the Windows 8 tablet market.

According to AMD, its new Z-60 APU is good enough to compete against top rivals, including Intel, Broadcom, Nvidia, and Chipzilla in the Windows 8 tablet arena. Officially called "Hondo," AMD's new processing chip is designed to serve as a low-power, high-performance option, and comes just in time for Microsoft's imminent Windows 8 launch.

Next to Intel, AMD is one of the world's largest PC chip makers. The Z-60 chip combines both graphics and microprocessor components, and according to AMD it will provide a fast, quality experience for Windows 8 users when they use apps, stream video, or play games.

At just 4.5 watts of power, the Z-60 has the lowest power consumption of AMD's lineup. Running at 1GHz, the chip packs integrated Radeon HD 6250 graphics with 80 cores, which can support a 1080p performance. The new chip also features 1MB of L2 Cache, USB 3.0 support, 6Gb/sec SATA support, an HDMI output capable of full HD, as well as Microsoft's DirectX 11.

The Z-60 also features support for AMD Start Now, the company's fast boot/resume system that can boot Windows in roughly 25 seconds and synchronize to a local network in 1.5. Battery life reportedly lasts for roughly eight hours of Web browsing, six hours of video playback, and ten hours in Windows presentation mode. That performance is for a tablet reference design built around a Z-60 paired with 2GB of DDR3 RAM, a 30Whr battery, and running Windows 8.

The AMD Z-60 will go head to head with Windows RT tablets that run on ARM-based microprocessors, including Qualcomm and Broadcom. AMD, however, argues that its low-power chip offers better compatibility for running full-scale apps on a tablet. Alternative processors such as Intel's i3-3217U also weigh in at 17 watts, consuming far more power than AMD's offering.

On the other hand, the AMD Z-60 is not the only low-power chip on the market. Intel's new "Clovertrail" 1.8GHz Atom Z2760 reportedly consumes between 2.3 and 3 watts when used on a Windows 8 tablet, and is able to handle up to 10 hours of HD video.

AMD is already shipping its Z-60 chip to its customers, but pricing remains unknown at this point. Tablets powered by the AMD Z-60 are expected later this year.