"The Gresham fab has machinery for flash. It doesn't become a processor fab overnight."
And the difference between the two is? Sure, flash is usually not done with cutting edge scanners, and the processors usually have more layers, but other than that, what is the difference? The part of the Grsham fab that was just outfitted should be at least as capable as Fab25, and very well may be as capable as Fab30, if it was outfitted with a 5 year lifespan in mind. If it was outfitted with ASML equipment, it could be as simple (ok, it is not all that simple) as changing out the lenses to StarLith (I think) lenses. AMD has at least done some flash runs in Fab25 last year, so the processes are pretty close.
As far as AMD supplanting Intel, well who knows. Even without Fab35, AMD seems to be lining up some serious capacity, especially if the really do decide to use at least some of Gresham for processors and convert Fab25 to copper. I doubt if they will do all three, the most likely is that they will only do one of them (Fab35, Gresham and convert Fab25). It may be that they have decided that their problem with the corporate market is that they cannot supply any OEM who Intel decides to cut off. If they bring up the capacity to do that, then that excuse cannot be used against them. Yes, it wold be a gamble, may be even a stupid one. But, on the other hand, Fab30 and the Athlon itself was a huge gamble that they reasonably should not have done, either... |
