- Mar 10, 2006
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So, here we are. Bulldozer didn't crush SNB nor is it available in any appreciable quantities.
Intel still offers us a 2600K w/ HT for $315, a 2500K for $219, and if we really want to push it to the max, a 990X for $1,000.
But even with lack of competition, Intel gives us an incredible value. So whenever I hear people claiming that the reason our CPUs nowadays are fantastic is due to AMD's competition and without it we'd be doomed, I chuckle.
Intel needs to continually improve performance per watt and price to performance in order to make upgrades compelling to people, especially in the laptop scene, where battery life and portability are everything. Stagnating innovation or making things prohibitively expensive is not conducive to sales of new products.
Further, Intel has very little competition in the server market -- a 12 core Opteron more often than not gets its tush handed to it by Intel's 6 core Westmere, and I doubt the "16 core" Interlagos will fare much better. Yet Intel is creating a more compelling server lineup than ever before -- SNB-EP is actually significantly differentiated in a number of important ways from the desktop LGA 1155 stuff and even the SNB-E stuff that will be available on x79 (8 core chips, dual/quad CPU socket support, etc.)
I love PC technology and nothing makes me happier than to see it continually advance. And even with AMD sitting on the CPU sidelines at the higher end, Intel is still pushing and innovating more aggressively than ever.
Lack of competition doesn't necessarily lead to stagnation. At least not in this case.
(Note: I am an AMD shareholder and I'm saying this.)
Intel still offers us a 2600K w/ HT for $315, a 2500K for $219, and if we really want to push it to the max, a 990X for $1,000.
But even with lack of competition, Intel gives us an incredible value. So whenever I hear people claiming that the reason our CPUs nowadays are fantastic is due to AMD's competition and without it we'd be doomed, I chuckle.
Intel needs to continually improve performance per watt and price to performance in order to make upgrades compelling to people, especially in the laptop scene, where battery life and portability are everything. Stagnating innovation or making things prohibitively expensive is not conducive to sales of new products.
Further, Intel has very little competition in the server market -- a 12 core Opteron more often than not gets its tush handed to it by Intel's 6 core Westmere, and I doubt the "16 core" Interlagos will fare much better. Yet Intel is creating a more compelling server lineup than ever before -- SNB-EP is actually significantly differentiated in a number of important ways from the desktop LGA 1155 stuff and even the SNB-E stuff that will be available on x79 (8 core chips, dual/quad CPU socket support, etc.)
I love PC technology and nothing makes me happier than to see it continually advance. And even with AMD sitting on the CPU sidelines at the higher end, Intel is still pushing and innovating more aggressively than ever.
Lack of competition doesn't necessarily lead to stagnation. At least not in this case.
(Note: I am an AMD shareholder and I'm saying this.)