Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[sgolds]

Golfbum, blauboad, sockets and chipsets -

First, currently all K8 products (A64, FX & Opteron) are generated from the same die. I had thought differently, but after looking up the specs a few days ago it was obvious.

Second, IMO, when socket 939 is released there will be an updated memory controller that can use DDR or DDR2. This will be the second generation of K8 product.

Third, AMD is moving their production totally over to K8 in 2004. There have been stories of 32-bit socket 754 Athlons next year. When I put 2 & 2 together, I come up with Socket 754 migrating to the cheaper 32-bit processors (yes, the Celeron space) based on K8, and socket 939 becoming the main desktop socket. I think that A64 will migrate away from socket 754 next year.

I hope that AMD makes a smaller die to serve the low-end AthlonXPs on socket 754. Those chips won't need the 1M cache plus other stuff that comes on the current K8 die!

So, Golfbum, that is the strategy I see for AMD. There won't be tension between Socket 754 and Socket 939 on the desktop because, IMHO, Socket 939 will become the only desktop 64-bit socket. Socket 754 is destined for 32-bit low ends. There will be very clear market differentiation.