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1 minute read

You’ve heard of Intel’s recent “Cougar Point” chipset screwup causing all motherboards for Sandy Bridge-based Core i7 processors to be pulled from the market until next month when new parts will appear. We’ve also all read the reviews that show the new i7 processors to be very fast and beating AMD’s current lineup in terms of performance. So where does AMD stand?

Well, AMD still has a nice selection of processors in the $100 – $150 range, but they can’t compete with the higher performing Intel processors priced higher. At that $150+ point it just makes more sense to load up your new rig with an i5-2400 or an i7-2600K if you have the cash.

But since you can’t purchase a Sandy Bridge based machine at the moment, doesn’t that leave a market gap for AMD to fill up? Oh, and isn’t it tax return season in the USA? Well, yes to both questions.

People can’t wait to splurge their tax return money on stuff, and many will spend it on a new computer. If you’ve filed your taxes in January or early this month, you should be getting that money pretty soon, and not in time for Sandy Bridge to return if Intel’s statements are correct.

In this spirit, AMD launched its “Ready. Willing. And Stable” ad campaign to take away Intel’s customers. But if you really think about it, why on earth would you buy an old AMD processor when: 1.) Sandy Bridge will be back soon if you can just keep that burning cash in your pocket for a little bit longer, 2.) the current AMD lineup is less than impressive when it comes to performance, and 3.) AMD is poised to release its new “Bulldozer” processor later this year?

I see no reason whatsoever. Bulldozer based chips will be able to compete with Sandy Bridge if we’re to believe AMD’s preliminary reports of a 50% performance increase over Core i7 950, so AMD should put its focus on that instead of launching a FUD campaign.

So, come on AMD, show us what you’re made of. Show us the AMD of the late 1990s and early 2000s that delivered competing products at a lower cost point, not this finger-pointing toothless shell of past achievements.

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