Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[Elmer Phud]

Spokeshave -

Jump right in here, Elmer if you have any opinions about the manufacturability of Hammer. I am not sure what your position is.

Well if you insist....

As I said, I am not a process expert but my understanding is that SOI's main advantage is lowering leakage to the substrate. As chipguy said, there are other mechanisms for leakage as well. When optimizing for performance modern transistors do not fully shut off and leak constantly. This is called sub threshold leakage and is quite large. Does SOI address this? I don't know but I would guess not.

As for Opteron manufacturability, we'll have to wait and see. Yield is the big criticism for SOI and the reason the mainstream avoids it. Too expensive. As economaniac points out, AMD doesn't need high yields to benefit from the very high ASPs Opteron can bring. If AMD can produce this device they have a very good chance of turning things around. I am impressed.

Such a large die on such a temperamental process... AMD keeps life interesting don't they?