Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[sgolds]

chipguy, RDRAM, at one time Intel based their whole PC strategy around it - a technology that proved to be unmanufacturable by their partners. Itanium - I'm sure their yield is good for a 421mm2 die. That does not make good yield for a smaller die. Note also that Intel only produces Itanium on last generation technology, mature and proven on x86 product. They don't dare try it on 90nm in 2004! That's how they keep up the yields (and sacrifice speed). Prescott: I am sure that the 3rd revision of the core will be manufacturable, at the cost of performance. In several months we will be talking about how Intel can't keep up with A64 because of the manufacturing tradeoffs they had to make.

My point: Not to beat up on Intel, just to counter Elmer's argument that Intel does not attempt cutting edge technology because of manufacturing risk. I think Intel is a risk taker in some areas, they are not the stodgy, crank-out-proven-technology company that Elmer presents. Some of their risks over the past few years have not panned out, that is all.

No risk, no reward.