AMD rules the day

[Lyfer]

How long before we see a sub $100 Athlon 64?🙂

 

[jrphoenix]

Originally posted by: Lyfer
How long before we see a sub $100 Athlon 64?🙂

No definate yet...... My guess would be they wouldn't lower their margins on a processor that has "features" Intel doesn't have until Intel releases a chip with 64 bit functionality. Try and undercut the competition?

 

[Bassyhead]

very nice

 

[dullard]

I think AMD has some very nice chips there. However I don't like some of the discussion in this thread. Here are my thoughts:

1) Drag, in my opinion they DON'T make plenty of money. Why do I think that? From 2nd quarter 2001 until the 3rd quarter 2003, AMD lost money on each and every quarter (that is 10 straight quarters). The average loss was -0.535 cents per share. For the last two quarters, they did earn a profit, but at just 0.12 cents per share. It'll take quite a few quarters like the last two just to make up for all of the losses from the 10 quarters before that.

2) JBT. lowering prices would be great for the customers, but look at my comment #1.

3) Pariah, remember that AMD had processors at $1299 in March 2000 (and for a few months after that). That was the last time AMD clearly had the lead. Looks like they are doing it again. The top processor always comands a premium, and AMD is not against charging it when they are in the lead.

4) Naustica, see my three comments above.

5) Lyfer, you won't see that anytime soon.

 

[ponyo]

Dullard, I understand AMD needs to make money and they currently have the top product. Sure they want to get top dollars for their product but they also have to be realistic. Current pricing of 939 suggest AMD doesn't really want to sell lot of this chip. Maybe they're pricing 939 crazy high in order to get rid of excess socket 754 chips. We know 754 haven't been selling all that well. Whatever their reasoning at the present 939 prices AMD is going to sell very few 939 chips. I think we can all agree on that.

 

[Maverick]

Lack of PCI-Express to go with the 939 is whats holding me back....along with the outrageous prices.

If I can upgrade my CPU, memory, and motherboard for < 700 I'll be happy. But I'd be lucky to be able to do that and get a meaningful upgrade before next fall.

 

[RussianSensation]

There is no reason to lower prices on the 3500+ - 3800+ product lines because there is no competition for those chips. That means if the user wants the absolute fastest rig at prices in the 700 range and not exceeding 1000 for P4 3.4EE then these chips are the only way to go. AMD is capitalizing on the slow transition for Intel to a new socket. You can bet $1 million that when Intel comes out with 3.6 and 3.8 chips or higher AMD will lower its prices, but for now there is no need. Those chips only serve to show that AMD is in the lead and AMd wants user to buy their 3000-3400 chips first. If you lower the price on the new chips too low no one would buy the lower end AMD chips and AMD doenst want to do that just yet especially since there is no competition in the upper end.

With regard to Motherboards on socket 939, they should become widely available shortly. Socket 754 boards with Nforce 3 250 (250Gb) chipset are already sold, so it shoulnd't take long for the transition to a new socket because everything remains the same.

With respect to the FX line, FX-53 retails at $732 which is almost exactly the same price as the slower performing 3800+. Add the fact that you don't need registered, slower latency ram, and ability to adjust the higher multiplier, and now it makes sense to sell FX line for the ENTHUSIASTS. That was AMD's strategy all along to provide a fully unlockable high end processor for overclockers at a premium. Considering FX whipes the floor with Extreme Edition series, and costs $300 less, I dont think it's a bad idea. That is like Ferrari selling $650,000 Enzo's in small numbers just to claim the best sports car in the world status. The FX was never meant to be sold in volumes, it is there for status.

The transition to 1 universal socket for AMD is crucial. Providing a socket where low-, mid- and high-end CPU's can reside is outstanding as socket 478 has proven. Thus, socket 754 and 940 should die at the hands of AMD as they are useless.

Of course to make matters worse, not only does AMD have the fastest processors right now, but at all equal levels of competition (3000+ vs 3.0, 3200+ vs. 3.2 etc.) AMD wins in 2 critical areas - Gaming and Office applications. Since these are most likely the largest areas of interest to most users, AMD should continue to gain market share - but only if the consumer becomes more educated on this particular issue of AMD's edge and forgets the stupidity of loyalty to an inferior Intel product line.