Mind the gap
With Intel closer than ever to introducing products based on 32nm technology, many see the technological gap widening with rival AMD, as the smaller chip firm falls farther and farther behind on process technology.
Last time around, AMD introduced its 45nm offerings in Q4 2008; roughly a year after Intel had already brought its 45nm products to market. Now in 2009, Intel is again marching forward with a plan to introduce products built on 32nm technology by the end of 2009, first with "Westmere" or "Dales" chips, and "Sandy Bridge" soon after that. Meanwhile, AMD isn't likely to introduce its 32nm wares until sometime during the first half of 2011.
Of course, AMD claims it will be ramping production on 32nm in 2010, but there is still no concrete timetable for 32nm product shipment, which means that Intel will soon effectively be adding another six months to its technological lead over AMD, leaving the smaller chip firm lagging some 18 months behind.
But AMD is downplaying the lag, with spokesperson, Gary Silcott, telling HEXUS that "AMD is comfortable with our schedule for 32nm delivery to customers."
"The date for first product delivery at a given node is not as important as how quickly you are delivering a majority of your products in volume at that node, and we have traditionally ramped very quickly when we switch over," Silcott told us.
This view was compounded by Jon Carvill, director of communications at AMD's fab spin-off, Global Foundries, who noted the firm's 32nm SOI roadmap was aligned to AMD's product needs. "We are seeing a smooth development and ramp of this technology (including HKMG) with significant enhancements in performance per-watt when compared to 45nm," he said. "We have a lot of confidence that we'll deliver this technology in high volumes with mature yield as we have with previous leading-edge technology transitions."