Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[wbmw]

HM, Re: What am I missing?

That process shrinks will eventually allow larger caches to take up less die area. Dothan will have 2MB of L2 and it's only ~90mm^2. This is on 90nm. By 2007/8, Intel will have 45nm features, so I would expect CPUs with 8MB of cache and multiple cores to still have volume optimized die sizes. It might even allow an IPF derivative to reach sub-200mm^2 die sizes and have more than enough caches and cores to outperform anything on the market.