Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[techno_bull]

The trouble with Penryn and its siblings is that they need a new platform. Thats the trouble when each new Intel CPU requires a new chipset to work

Intel maintains a close relationship with it's customers to assure that they are well informed on the cadence for new platforms in the pipeline. And while customers must still do their own validation on new platforms, Intel has already performed extensive hardware validation on all platforms in their own labs as well as driver validation on all platforms as part of the WHQL process. This is why customers like working with Intel platforms, when the chipsets ship to customers they have already been rigoursly validated are virtually ready to go. Now is the process full proof? Is it possible for any bugs to appear during customer validaton? Of course, but no QA activity is perfect but customers appreciate the level of validation that goes on before they receive products and the proof is in the attach rate for Intel chipsets.