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Dell Might do AMD

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the heard-that-before-haven't-eye dept.

mboverload writes "In a move that will surely make waves in the industry, Dell's CEO, Kevin Rollins, has said they may provide machines decked out with AMD CPU's if their customers really want them. "We are still looking at AMD; they have fairly good technology," said Rollins. "

12 of 417 comments (clear)

  1. They just want better pricing from Intel by pointym5 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They'll never do it.

    1. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by Quasar1999 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Problem is, Intel manufacturing is so expensive, they can't afford to give Dell any more of a discount... their bluff is going to be called... This should be interesting...

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      Programming is like sex... Make one mistake and support it the rest of your life.
    2. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by Phylter · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Well, truth be told, they play this game once or twice a year.

      It might be worth it to Intel for people to continue to see the P4 symbol on Dell computers regardless of how much their losing on it. Dell does have a large market share.

    3. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by Halvard · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Intentionally losing a lot of money when your are the largest player can be construed, at least in the US, as anti-competitive behaviour. And they are both US headquartered companies.

  2. Been here... by Spokehedz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Heard that. I give it a month before they revert back to their intel ways...

  3. /. can influence this one. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Call Dell and say you want quotes for an Opteron system. Dell does listen to Customers.

  4. Dell using AMD? - Right by romanr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I wonder what kind of concession Dell wants from Intel this time 'round.

  5. Flip-Flop by bigtallmofo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Does anyone else get the feeling that Dell doesn't know what the heck they're doing with AMD?

    I guess everytime they want to apply pricing pressure on Intel, they submit a story to Slashdot.

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    I'm a big tall mofo.
  6. Will customers care? by eLamer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I find it hard to believe that the average dell customer, the essentially computer illiterate home user just looking to check their e-mail and use office software really cares what CPU they have, if they even understand the difference. If people are looking for a high-end machine to get better fps at "insert game here," they usually aren't even looking at Dell.

  7. Fairly Good by Paradise+Pete · · Score: 5, Insightful
    "We are still looking at AMD; they have fairly good technology"

    Nobody seriously considering changing suppliers calls the new supplier's stuff "fairly good." What's their slogan if they make the switch?

    Dell Computers - Now with fairly good technology!

  8. Re:swap the words in the blurb.. by timeOday · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I suppose you're right. However, compared to Linux vs Windows, there is a difference - from the end-user standpoint, Intel and AMD CPUs are practically indistinguishable, so it's an awfully easy switch.

    That said, I don't care too much. Even without Dell, AMD already has enough market pull to deflate Intel's once-ridiculous profit margins by about all they can. AMD processors aren't all that much cheaper than equivalent Intel anymore.

    I'm not sure what's behind the stagnation in CPU and RAM offerings and prices the last couple years. Maybe the weak dollar?

  9. Intel manufacturing cost us much better than AMD by Glasswire · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Look at the published % margins of Intel and AMD and realize that this is much greater gap than you would get simply from Intel's ability ot command a price premium -compared to AMD, Intel's manufacturing costs per die are LESS, so it's not "so expensive".

    Say what you want about AMD's microprocessor design prowess, they are definately not in Intel's league in terms of wafer yield and other areas of manufacturing prowess that dictate cost to produce.

    Many clueless /.ers are infuriated that the stock market doesn't reward AMD stock price like that of Intel stock price, but if they understood that share value is determined by the ability to make money, not just pump out cool stuff, they'd understand. Making money means keeping your cost-to-selling-price ratio healthy and AMD doesn't manufacture at lowest price and doesn't sell for a premium price.

    (BTW, please don't assume this represents some kind of consumer-friendly behaviour for AMD - if they could charge a big premium over Intel's product, they would in a heartbeat. And of course, the poster that said this is a price negotiation tool on Dell's part is correct)