AMD processor availability...

[martin.evans]

I'm just in the process of trying to order the parts for a new developer workstation and to my surprise, many of the big-name online retailers are showing out of stock on most AMD X2.

Is this just because the prices have been slashed causing a mad rush, or is there something else happening in the pipe?

M

[notsobig]

Yeah, I'm also very curious. 3800+ are now out of stock everywhere. Is AMD still producing dual-cores for socket 939?

[DanceswithUnix]

You can buy an AMD dual core box from Dell, perhaps they bought them all ready for the christmas rush.

[Alexis]

Well, so they are... Scan have them on pre-order though... Unless your in some serious rush, then you can just go super-crazy and by a FX-60, that's in stock... /Sarcasm

[martin.evans]

With regards to Dell, are you saying it is possible to buy components from them as apposed just systems?

btw, having visited the site to check, some of their AMD based systems are very well priced. It makes it difficult to justify doing a custom machine.

[harry1]

With regards to Dell, are you saying it is possible to buy components from them as apposed just systems?

btw, having visited the site to check, some of their AMD based systems are very well priced. It makes it difficult to justify doing a custom machine.

no it doesnt because somehwere in that dell system will be a bit of cheap rubbish making it a good price, remember they have to make money on the pc. just build it best thing you can ever do.

[notsobig]

I've looked Dell site but couldn't find them on sale anywhere? Can you post a link?

BTW, moving away from socket 939 now is very bad idea for AMD imho. It even accelerates this trend of people switching to faster Intel processors. They really shouldn't let go anymore customers they have now and supply enough 939, AM2 cpus on the market until they regain clear superiority over Intel in the future.

[EtheAv8r]

........until they regain clear superiority over Intel in the future.

I fear this may be some time off.... I have been all AMD (built about 9 systems...) since I ;converted' from the Apple Mac about 3-4 years ago, but my new system will be Core 2 Duo........

[dfour]

AMD have really got to get teh KL8 out ASAP otherwise they will get relegated to the follower position again. If they wait to long they will then be pitching the KL8 against the next gen chips when they are aiming for this gens chips

[harry1]

I fear this may be some time off.... I have been all AMD (built about 9 systems...) since I ;converted' from the Apple Mac about 3-4 years ago, but my new system will be Core 2 Duo........

it wont take amd long to make a superior chip again, you could have said that last year about intel when they releases the dire pentiums, and amd 64 dominated, and it took intel a year to turn the tables amd can d the same you know, plus now they are in association with ati good thing scan only come

[shaithis]

This is the way of things and always has been.....

AMD in a way brought it on themselves back in the 386 days when they held a patent to allow them to make Intel CPU clones.....but being a tad naughty they always made one a little faster then Intels (When Intel made the 386-33, AMD sold a 386-40)

Intel got a little peeved and have not allowed anyone to make clones since....and thus started the Intel v AMD war.

Since then the crown has switch back-and-forth and I cannot see Intel giving it up for a year or 2, they now have the better tech to flaunt and all they need to do to pull further ahead is integrate the memory controller on the CPU die....if they do that, I cannot see AMD coming back for a while.

Intel were very busy while trying to flog the pentium to us in its various bad guisses the last few years.

[DanceswithUnix]

It amuses me to see people descibe core-2 as some sort of killer new technology. The onl y thing I don't understand is why it took Intel so long to scrap their internal politics, admit the P4 was a mistake and catch up.

Most of what is in Core-2 has been in the AMD chips for some time, but there are just 2 features the AMD chip doesn't have. Next generation will sort one (SSE throughput) and go a long way on the other (memory reordering). Intel will not have an on die memory controller for a few years by the looks of things, but are making up for it with massive cache sizes.

Intel have a lead for about 6 months, then things look to be quite evenly matched.

Mind you, I still haven't seen any benchmarks in 64 bit mode for core2 yet.

[shaithis]

planetamd64 have some 64 bit benchies here

[MadduckUK]

yes intel have screwed about trying to save a sinking ship for a number of years. but theres no denying the core2 is rather badass. unfortunately the worst thing that could happen to the industry is that eveyone buys one. we need to see AMD and Intel really neck and neck before its a good thing to go with intel. monopoly may be a good boardgame but its not what you want in real life

[martin.evans]

...as a business user, because the end-user difference is unlikely to be either quantifiable or perceivable.

I don't think AMD seem too bothered. Any business plan would have predicted what the opposition would be doing and AMD wouldn't be so arrogant to assume Intel wouldn't bounce back sooner or later given their resources.

What might be more important to AMD than carrying the 'enthusiast' crown is acceptance by the industry, particularly the likes of Dell, that they can make a decent processor and can compete with Intel technically.

It would seem that they have done this as both Dell and IBM (aka Lenovo) sell their CPU alongside Intel as an equal at most levels. The suggestion seems to be that the current shortage in the pipelines might in part be due to the likes of Dell buying lots of AMD?

Competition is a good thing. You only have to look at Dells prices to see this!