[citation][nom]tipoo[/nom]This would only benefit AMD if Intel was forced to pay a royalty for every processor sold through their "rebates".[/citation]
The decision for Intel to appeal or pay the fine will cost them a decent chunk of change. This hurts profitability, and thus both shareholder returns and their credit (in a time where every company needs to hold onto every bit they can).
Also, I believe the cost to Intel's reputation would be great (hence the appeal). After all, outselling the competition and having superior products sounds great - but doing so because you had to pay your customers to not use or delay use of your competitor's product sounds like you knew they had a decent product.
True, it might be nice for AMD to see an infusion of cash for this, but how do you prove the potential lost income for a market that your company wasn't allowed to participate in?
Myself, if I were AMD, I'd just go after perpetual rights to the x86 architecture for whomever fabricates their chips. No direct cost to Intel, only a cost of future income.