Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[Elmer Phud]

Keith -

why don´t you just say what you´re implying?

Ok, I will. Assuming shipments start in August, AMD doesn't know at this time what their binsplits will be on A64 with any real confidence. They think they can deliver 1.8GHz in enough quantity for HP to prepare a system for Sept availability. Anything above 1.8GHz would be welcome but unknown at this time, however AMD would prefer to leave the impression that 1.8GHz is not necessarily the top.

As for 90nm, yes I did say that we should expect to see A64 pushed out to 90nm and I still think that's true, at least for any meaningful volume with a 1Meg L2 die. What could change that? If AMD could contract out Athlon to a foundry they could free up enough capacity to make a few more A64. That would drop performance on Athlon because the foundries won't process Athlon to the limit like AMD does (not a knock here, Intel does the same). Performance drops and ASPs do the same. AMD could even lose money on the contracted parts so I don't expect this to happen.

I'm only guessing here but I don't think A64 and Opteron will be different die if the A64 really has 1Meg of L2. Too many designs to manage and mask sets are much too expensive to keep flipping steppings for 2 cores at the same time, 3 if there is a small die 256K L2. Intel wouldn't do it and they have money to burn.