If Intel's Katmai instructions become the industry favorite for enhanced video, 3D, rendering and voice-recognition software developers, AMD will be caught with incompatible CPUs that will have to be FURTHER discounted to essentially unprofitable levels.
It's pretty obvious that AMD has no choice but to implement KNI. But having 3dnow buys them some time. If they didn't have 3dnow, it really would be a disaster.
The K-7 will have to offer twice the performance of an Intel CPU at half the price just to be CONSIDERED by a customer.
Hmm, slight exaggeration don't you think? If the K7 offers superior performance, it will find a ready market - period.
Remember - the K-7 is a SOLE SOURCE PART and with AMD's history, what reputable server or workstation manufacturer will commit to a SOLE-SOURCED device - made in just one AMD wafer fab?
I think AMD would be delighted, to say the least, to "only" sell into the performance desktop market (where they have never been before) - never mind the server market!
I agree about NSM, IDT, and the rest. They are toast.
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We are all aware of AMD's spotty track record. But this time I think it may really be different.
Intel has stated that the P7 is at least two years away (late 2000, early 2001). That's a mighty big window of opportunity. Maybe even big enough for AMD. Quite frankly, Intel screwed up bigtime. |
