Hi all; Another Rambus mention:
Intel's CEO Admits to a Lack of Critical-Path Planning
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Intel is already capacity-constrained and analysts predict that only by the second half of next year will the company be in a position to generate significant revenue from P4 production. At that time, Intel is expected to introduce the 0.13-micron process, which will not only make the die size smaller but will also allow the company to push clock speeds much higher. Intel should ramp up the P4 in the next year so as not to fall behind AMD, which has been extremely competitive in the past year, according to Ashok Kumar, semiconductor analyst at USB Piper Jaffray.
Before that, Intel must make a decision regarding licensing P4 chipsets to other makers. It expressed its willingness to do so at the IDF, but did not elaborate. The key issue for Intel is the mix between the chipsets. Kumar believes the mix will depend on the performance advantage of Rambus DRAM (RDRAM) as well as the price premium.
Also, the difference between RDRAM and SDRAM on standard benchmarks will be a few percentage points, but the price premium will be about 30 percent. In this case, DRAM makers will be looking for profits and hence will not commit to RDRAM. Intel, though, is "investigating" double data rate chipsets that will help Intel ramp up the P4. Intel is expected to license its chipset technology to others under the condition that chipset makers have no part of AMD.
Intel and some analysts are still trumpeting P4's compatibility with Rambus. "(But) Intel will never let Willamette (P4) be crucified on a Rambus cross," said Kumar. And that makes sense, because the P4 core will be Intel's mainstay for many years, in the desktop as well as the server segment. Barrett's priorities were clear when he said that the markets would decide what kind of memory would succeed.
electronicnews.com
-- Carl |
