Dell's Web site backing away from AMD chips
Dell has decided to stop selling most of its consumer notebooks that use Advanced Micro Device's chips on its Web site, promoting those systems instead through its new retail strategy.
There are still a handful of AMD notebooks available on Dell's site, but only one Insprion system targeted at home users. On the business side, you now have to wade through several Dell Web pages before you stumble upon an AMD-based laptop. Two are available, a Vostro and a Latitude, and both are being promoted as small-to-medium business systems.
The Dell Latitude D531 laptop, one of the few remaining on Dell's Web site with AMD processors.
(Credit: Dell)"To ensure we deliver the best value to our customers, Dell regularly adjusts its product offerings, and how customers can purchase those products," Dell said in a statement. "Currently the majority of our consumer AMD-based systems are available through our retail partners such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Staples, and through telephone sales."
It's hard to see this as anything but a blow to AMD, which is coming off one of its worst years in recent memory. With these moves, Dell has positioned AMD's notebook chips as the budget-friendly alternative, which is never great for the brand. And that's despite the fact that AMD has done fairly well with its notebook chips over the last few years, even though its first true mobile design--as described by the company--won't ship until later this year.
After years of fealty to a direct sales strategy, Dell has in recent months begun to roll out its products to retail stores, even going so far as to rub elbows with the blue shirts at Best Buy. There, a wider range of AMD systems remains available. And Dell continues to offer several AMD-based desktops and servers on its Web page, which despite the new retail presence, still accounts for most of Dell's business.
But after AMD spent so much time and effort trying to win Dell as a customer, it has to be disheartening to see its Texas neighbors relegate their chips to the bottom-feeder part of the market. With new notebook chips due out fairly soon, AMD could be in a position to start moving back up the ladder into more powerful and profitable systems.
That's assuming, of course, it can get those chips out on time, and without incident. That's something AMD's customers are likely worried about coming off the Barcelona and Phenom debacles.
Tom Krazit writes about the ever-expanding world of Internet search, including Google, Yahoo, online advertising, and portals, as well as the evolution of mobile computing. He has written about traditional PC companies, chip manufacturers, and mobile computers, spending the last three years covering Apple. E-mail Tom. 
So, when I build a system with AMD I'm relegated to using some Taiwanese board, that's often poorly designed, and always poorly supported. Granted, I can get it with nVidia chipsets, which is technically owned by AMD now, but I'm tired of spending time and money on designing and building machines with AMD processors, only to have the weak link of the MoBo bring me down.
Say what you want about Intel. Their stuff works. And they support it well.
It also seems like Intel has more mobile chip offerings and a lot better marketing of it mobile chips than AMD.
AMD's lawyers had better get wise to occult ploys by Intel; and market buyers to our needs which Intel could very well damn and doom. Monopoly doesn't just control goods by themselves; it controls all buyers, us, as a political dictatorship could neither manage, nor afford to do.
Haven't you realized how strategic this monopoly can become to a world dictatorship?
Unless we've lost all sense, we'd better side and fight for AMD's survival!
Since Indian consumers are very price conscious and AMD wins hands-down on a performance-per-price graph against Intel, it would be a bad move if Dell forces Indian consumers to settle only for Intel.
So what if you miss a few frames in Crysis? So what if you had to wait a frew more seconds to process a video? Unless you're doing this for NASA, I don't think it's gonna be the end of your business. Sure, anyone reading this comment may react and say something harsh, but let's all face it: We all need AMD. Relatively few people realize how important AMD is to the computer industry. Let's give them a break. We need to keep both Intel and AMD alive. As if you still don't realize that.
Both my desktop and laptop use AMD processors. Call me an AMD fanboy, but I do it to support AMD and everyone else who wants to buy a PC.
So what if you miss a few frames in Crysis? So what if you had to wait a few more seconds to process a video? Are you that eager to finish it all up that quickly? Unless you're doing this for NASA, I don't think it's gonna be the end of your business. Sure, anyone reading this comment may react and say something harsh, but let's all face it: We all need AMD. Relatively few people realize how important AMD is to the computer industry. Let's give them a break. We need to keep both Intel and AMD alive. As if you still don't realize that.
Both my desktop and laptop use AMD processors. Now, I like AMD, but I'm disappointed in their performance lately. Also, I myself personally know some people who work for Intel and so I like Intel too. So it all kinda balances out. But I buy and recommend AMD for the sake of keeping this industry healthy. I hope we'll all do our part so that it's not just you and me who can buy a PC, but everyone else.
I choose processors and products that get the job done at the best value for my hard earned dollar whether its AMD or INTEL and not because they are both American companies... GM and Ford better listen up!
However, I will disagree that people should support a company simply because it's American. That's such a bone fide load of crap I can't even start to explain how wrong it is.
GM and Ford are failing because they consistently and without fail produce the worst automobiles on the market and simply cannot compete with their foreign counterparts. I won't buy a GM, Fors OR Chrysler (for the matter) because I've owned all three plus a Honda and a Toyota. The GM I owned, literally fell apart. The Ford? It's engine blew four years after I bought it with only fifty thousand miles with a pristine service record. I was lucky to get the Chrysler started on a cold morning and it was an adventure getting to my destination without getting out and pushing. My Toyota, however, is still going strong after one hundred sixty thousand miles and my Honda? It's like a Timex . . . takes a lickin and keeps on tickin: My partner almost totaled it four years ago but we got it put back together and now we're at one hundred thirty-nine thousand miles and still running as smooth as the day we bought it.
Why do these companies produce such horrible products? That's debatable. I personally think it's because there are union's in this country that allow workers to screw off instead of getting a job done. And I can't wait for the firestorm on that comment.
My point is, you shouldn't support a company simply because they are American. Back to Ford and GM . . . where do you think most of their parts come from? It ain't Detroit. AMD also has over seas production facilities so the logic of 'support it because it's American' is a ship with many holes in its hull sinking in a very deep ocean.
- Not surprised
- by MadLyb February 11, 2008 9:58 AM PST
- Uninformed people will buy Intel. It's the safe purchase in people's minds.
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(14 Comments)Informed people will buy the better product and right now that is Intel.
I think AMD should never have purchased ATI, it has distracted both companies from their core competencies and given both Intel and nVidia a leg up.