Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[wbmw]

Joe, Re: I have to say that I am dissapointed in both AMD and Intel dispensing the faster FSBs in a nickle and dime fashion, rather than infrequent leaps.

Here are the front side bus and platform transitions for Intel and AMD products, including the range of dates from the first product to use the standard to the last.

Pentium 4
400MHz / Socket 423: November, 2000 - August, 2001 (9 months)
400MHz / Socket 478: September, 2001 - April, 2002 (7 months)
533MHz / Socket 478: May, 2002 - November, 2002 (6 months)
800MHz / Socket 478: April, 2003 - ???

Athlon
200MHz / Slot A: August, 1999 - June, 2000 (10 months)
200MHz / Socket A: June, 2000 - June, 2001 (12 months)
266MHz / Socket A: June, 2001 - August, 2002 (14 months)
333MHz / Socket A: November, 2002 - February, 2003 (3 months)
400MHz / Socket A: May, 2003 - ???

Intel has had some short transitions, but nothing under 6 months. AMD has had one more transition than Intel, but they've had Athlon for a year longer than Intel. The only transition that I think has been completely unnecessary is AMD's 333MHz front side bus transition, which only lasted 3 months. Had they gone directly to 400MHz, they would have saved their motherboard ODM's and customers a little pain.