Apple ready to embrace AMD?

[keithlm]

The Intel performance per watt was greater.

Pertinent Dates:

June 2005: Apple announced move to Intel
July 2006: Core2 released

So you are saying that the Intel Pentium IV (i.e. pre-Core2) chips had a better performance per watt?

Or did you mean that Intel definitely was at the top of some charts like this one:

 

[roofus]

Actually Keith, I think he is saying Intel showed Apple their hand for the next round. P4 certainly didn't give Apple anything to fawn over lol

 

[keithlm]

Actually Keith, I think he is saying Intel showed Apple their hand for the next round. P4 certainly didn't give Apple anything to fawn over lol

Then nobody should find it surprising if they did the same thing again with AMD.

Not to mention that a transition from Intel to AMD is much simpler than their move from PowerPC to Intel. (In fact completely transparent.)

Besides if BSD performance benchmarks are similar to Linux (which they are) then there really isn't a performance difference between the two architectures in that environment.

 

[Scotteq]

< skims the thread, noting precious little of any real substance >


I don't particularly give a toss whether an Apple box has an Intel or an AMD processor inside it. I would opine that, similarly, Apple's victi... errr... client base don't know or care either.

I will point out that AMD's processors are cheaper, and therefore there is more room in the selling price to pad Steve~o's pockets. Historically, it has consistently been the case that AAPL are ever on the lookout for ways to get more (money) from their user base.

Therefore this rumor makes perfect sense.

 

[roofus]

That is what makes this interesting. It could be Apple trying to manipulate Intel, could be shopping for specific solutions or they could be looking to make the switch entirely. I am real curious to what happens in the next six months with these talks, samples etc flying around.

 

[randomizer]

The PC enthusiasts is always going to be anti-Apple.

I'm not anti-Apple any more than I am anti-Falcon Northwest. They're a boutique goods manufacturer. Premium prices are expected.

 

[uncfan_2563]

That is what makes this interesting. It could be Apple trying to manipulate Intel, could be shopping for specific solutions or they could be looking to make the switch entirely. I am real curious to what happens in the next six months with these talks, samples etc flying around.

I agree. I bet they're trying to bring about some competition so they can tell Intel "Hey, if you don't want to step up your game we've got some interesting fellas wearing green over there ready to take over."

I think that it's a very good chance AMD takes over chips for the iMac series because with those big monitors at high resolutions and ATI graphics core would be beneficial and with the announcement that Steam is transitioning to MAC OSx, Apple could be prepping themselves to provide a more gamer friendly environment. However, I doubt they will even dream of using any current offerings from AMD on the mobile front because they just cannot compete with Intel's performance per watt and Apple prides themselves on their battery life.