> Just look at their prices right now. It's a rip-off for an
> AMD X2 processor. Their 2GHz, 512K L2 cache X2 has a list
> price of $303. For only $13 more, you can get a Pentium D
> 950 with much better performance at a reasonable 95W TDP.
> And AMD has nothing that can touch the price/performance of
> the 940 and 930 (at $241 and $209, respectively). These are
> the mainstream parts where all the volume is, and AMD has
> nothing more than slow single core processors to fill the
> gap. In the mainstream pricing segment, Intel has
> performance and price/performance already won.
I think that the market sets the price and at the moment, the
market is supporting the higher prices of X2 chips. I'm not
really a fan of the X2 3800 and using 512 K of cache but it
seems that's what CompUSA and other retailers is pushing. I'm
using a Pentium 4 desktop right now and it's a dog compared
to my old r3000z laptop. I considered a Pentium D but when I
was shopping, Pentium 4 and Pentium D systems were more
expensive than the AMD systems that they were lined up against.
Which I thought was pretty odd.
My current 2.0 Ghz 3200+ outperforms my standard-issue office
3.0 Ghz P4 desktop which is newer but has 2 GB of memory and
a faster disk. And at home, I'm using a 2.8 Ghz P4 Celeron
as the kids took the new machine. I just use it to log into
work as it has a good graphics card that can drive multiple
monitors.
I prefer AMD DC processors given my experience with their
SC processors compared to Pentium 4 systems.
I use the 3200+ and Pentium 4 3.0 Ghz day in and day out and
there really is no contest in usability and performance.
The X2 4400 system that HP makes is a really nice, smooth
system that has some of the things that I like about our
PowerMac. It's kind of a shame that it isn't sold at retail
as it would make a nice high-end retail system. And you can
get it right now.
It will be quite interesting to see what Conroe does to AMD
pricing. It doesn't seem to have affected it yet. Same deal
with the Pentium 4/D pricing.
Dell got whacked AH and they're down 7.23% right now. If
Pentium Ds will solve the competitive issue, it certainly
isn't being priced in right now. A friend of mine that is
a really good trader recommended buying the dip (or crater)
in Dell. He was buying INTC in the low-to-mid $19 area.
Perhaps the enthusiast stuff does move the market for the
lower end but a lot of people go by their past experiences
and the experiences of the experts around them.
Do you use AMD and Intel systems day-in and day-out? People
that ask me about making purchasing decisions know that I
use both so that I can make recommendations based on
experience. Of course I haven't tried all of the machines
out there and have to render a judgement in that case. But
using various hardware can give you a perspective on systems
that only reading benchmarks doesn't provide.
AMD has hit the 50 DMA on declining volume with momentum
indicators rolling over. The chart indicates a good shorting
area with a stop a little over the 200 DMA.
INTC has broken out of a resistance area on better than average volume. I picked up a few shares yesterday. Of course I may get whacked on the Dell warn after the close. But technically, it looks like a low-risk play.
AI
