Replies to post #38516 on Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[Dan3]

Re: I have to admit, it concerns me that not only did they not mention speed, but they also noted that 130nm could carry their performance chip through the end of the year.

Actually, it's pretty important. It's becoming more and more difficult to move to the next process node, but to do so without a pressing need to increase performance (initially) makes the move much less difficult.

Unpressured transitions tend to go smoothly, while transitions made when there is a high level of urgency to simultaneously move to the new node quickly while gaining a substantial performance increase have a history of becoming disasters.

AMD is presently in the very pleasant position of not needing anything new (in terms of process) for several quarters. It lets them methodically develop the process, on test wafers running under production conditions, instead of concurrently shotgunning a number of variations into their production process in the hope that one of the combinations will work - what Intel's been doing for a year, and what has their high end production stymied.

[mas]

Overclockers will soon tell us what AMD's 90nm can do once they get hold of these chips. Frankly it would be wasted on the FX if they can get 2.6 Ghz on it already in 130nm. In mobile chips it will be cheap enough for these guys to buy it en-masse as well as its primary low-power mobile function where it is sorely needed, after all how many $799 chips are sold ? In the long run and with more metal layers I think 90nm K8 is good for 3.2 GHz and I have always stated 130nm K8 was good for 2.6 GHz on Aces.

[Petz]

they also noted that 130nm could carry their performance chip through the end of the year

Nothing new there, that's exactly what the new roadmap already said. Don't forget that Intel's "performance chip," Pentium 4 EE, will also be on 130nm until the end of the year unless we get a surprise 2M L2 Prescott before then, and if we do, that chip will probably not be running at 4 GHz.

Which means Intel's Prescott will probably be at least equal to the EE by the end of the year.

Petz

[KeithDust2000]

Paul, an AMD representative talked about adding additional metal layers to the 90nm process, among other things, later in the game. That was pretty revealing, imho. Maybe you should think along those lines :)