Re: Intel has many fabs, but only a few of them are producing CPUs on the latest processes. Right now Intel has 1) Fab 20 in Oregon on .13u, 2) Fab D2 in California on .13u, 3) Fab 22 in Arizona on .13u, 4) Fab 14 in Ireland on .18u, 5) Fab 11 in New Mexico on .18u, 6) Fab 12 in Arizona on .18u, and 7) Fab 18 in Israel on .18u.
AMD is running one medium sized FAB, Austin, at (I would estimate) 3/4 capacity, and is ramping Dresden, which is at a little less than 3/4 capacity in terms of product shipped this quarter. Austin is 6K wspw and Dresden is supposed to be a 5K or 6K wspw (it seems to alternate each quarter). So, AMD is running .75 x 11 or 12K wspw. Several of Intel's CPU FABs run 10K wspw, several more are AMD sized, and several are in between. Given the money Intel has been spending, one would think those 7 FABs you listed are half fully ramped and perhaps half, half-ramped. But, most of the half ramped FABs are transitioning from .18 to .13, so they should already be producing more than 100% of their previous all .18 unit rate. The Intel CPU FABs probably average out to 6.5 to 8K wspw, so Intel is running something like 50K to 55K wspw to AMD's 12K wspw. While running 4.5 to 5 times as many wafers, they are producing 3 times as many good die - and, I'd guess we both think AMD is sitting on some excess capacity at the Austin "Duron" only FAB.
AMD's die are all 120mm2 to 130mm2. Intel is running about 1/2 217mm2 P4s, 1/6 .18 90mm2 PIII/Celeron, and 1/3 79mm2 Celeron and Mobile PIII/Celeron. So, Intel's average die size is about 150mm2, while AMD's average die size is about 125mm2.
Overall, I'd guess the two company's yields aren't terribly different - but that AMD's are noticeably better. Either that, or the rumor that SVG's delay of 193nm steppers has crippled Intel's .13 production is true. |
