Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[bobs10]

A good question:

Given AMD's surge in retail sales and considering that they still have only one 200mm/90nm plant producing all their processors one might ask, “where are all these chips coming from”?

WBMW has repeatedly assured that while SOI may work for AMD because it is essentially a boutique producer it would never work for INTC where costs and producability are paramount. His whole argument is that being a small producer AMD can afford the higher wafer costs rather than investing in more equipment because of price per unit breakdowns. INTC on the other hand has to go with volume and the added cost of SOI just doesn't warrant the results.

Yet, AMD seems to be kicking the stuffing out of INTC in the very markets that are the most cost conscious. Somehow this argument just doesn't ring true. As usual WBMW appears to have fabricated an answer that doesn't match reality. He really does have a fertile imagination.

Could it be there's more to SOI than the additional costs of the discs alone? Like maybe better bin yields/splits. There is just no way of getting around it, AMD obviously has the better manufacturing processes, and it looks like INTC's move to 65nm is having little effect on costs, at least so far.

Frankly, I'm really more than amazed at what AMD has been able to get out of fab30. The production manager really deserves a lot of kudos.