Replies to post #2946 on Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[chipguy]

If Opteron really takes off, and becomes supply constrained, IBM would be a great source.

Not any time soon. The AMD and IBM 130 nm SOI processes differ in some important aspects.
Presumably AMD's 90 nm process development was well underway when they recently signed
up IBM for joint future process development so big blue may be no help as a potential second
source until 65 nm.

[sgolds]

smoothh20,

Right. If Opteron really takes off, and becomes supply constrained, IBM would be a great source. To me, there are many factors besides capacity that would drive demand.

One of those many factors, and a very important one, would be IBM as a second source for the processors. This would insure OEMs that there will be a steady supply and make the whole solution an easier sell to corporations.

Yes, this is a 'what if' scenerio. Paradoxically, AMD may not be able to exceed Dresden capacity on their own, but could sell out Dresden plus a bunch from IBM with such an arrangement.