Replies to post #20276 on Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[kpf]

sgolds

I certainly agree. You named most of what it would take. However, obviously Intel just does not have that currently. Taking the time for designing all this into consideration, it would take a dual core architecture as well to be competitive. And a memory-controller, because they really dont want to compete with their fastest P4 but with AMDs CPUs. ;-)
If they have all that ready in two years, they will be very, very competitive again. If they have a second-generation 90nm-FDSoI process working by this time, they could possibly be able to take back the technological lead.

K.

[chipguy]

Then maybe they wouldn't be forced into the exotic cooling designs which are now being foisted on the world. I like the new case layout of the BTX design, but the necessity for a wind hood over the processor is an abomination.

It is not an abomination, it is good engineering. And the
technical term is plenum, not "wind hood". I saw the same
basic thing in an entry level 64 bit PA-RISC workstation
from HP about four years ago. It allowed HP to avoid using
a noisy CPU fan heatsink. It was nice to have this on your
desk because it was quieter than any contemporary PC.

[subzero]

"the necessity for a wind hood over the processor is an abomination."

Nearly every Pentium 4 system shipped by Dell has just such a "hood" or plenum. And Dell has probably sold tens of millions of these in the past 3 years.
The plenum, as implemented by Dell, is straightforward and effective - it exhausts the heat from the CPU through the plenum duct to a vent in the case at the other end of the plenum, removing the heat from the chassis.
The alternative with a simple fan/heat sink on top the CPU is to just blow the hot air around inside the chassis and hope that another fan manages to exhaust some of the heat.