i wonder if they thought up the 8 core chip when they heard intels announcement

From what we've seen for the past few years AMD is always seeming to say they are ready to compete with Intel with their latest release....only to find once released AMD's product is subpar. I like AMD don't get me wrong but I will believe it when I see benchmarks....

But on that note, its never a bad idea to "tip your hand" and try to prematurely make a competitor release a product that isn't fully ready (poor reviews then follow)...kudos AMD

 i hope amd is ready for the challenge

Please, AMD, please have a competetive product.  If you fall out of the race, it can only mean higher prices.  Plus, it'll be nice to laugh in the face of the Intel fanbois again.  It's been too long. 

 Well, unless they have some very special new thing (and I mean very very special) they really have no reason to laugh at Intel. Nothing they have or will have (in the forseeable future) can best Nehalem, or Penryn.

I find this hillarious...AMD is having trouble just trying to compete with kentsfield and penryn..This is very optimisitic of them. Nehalem should be their biggest worry...Intel is taking all the advantages AMD had and placing them into Nehalem while executing it CORRECTLY...Unlike what AMD did with phenom/barcelona in certain segments of their architectural design. AMD should be shaking in their boots right now....Shanghai will without a doubt fix most the issues with Barecelona/Phenom...But Nehalem will still be a top performer IMO but a pretty large advantage. 

Maybe AMD isn't intimidated by Nehalem, because they have already resigned to riding back seat with Intel behind the wheel. Intel will already have 8 cores by the end of this year, and in 2009 when AMD gets 8 cores too, Intel will be ready with their 32nm Westmere and Sandy Bridge processors. AMD will need a highly accelerated time table for the release of their next few processor designs before Intel has to look any further than their rear-view mirror to find AMD.

Anyone else find it ironic how the shoe is now on the other foot. I can remember back when AMD first came on the market, they fixed all the issues that the pentiums had and, because of it, some programs wouldn't work because they specifically looked for those issues in the processors..  And, now, Intel is the one fixing the issues that the AMDs have.

 

 

all i can say is, at the moment, Intel has much better engineering :) (and more money)

I've been warming up to the idea of an Intel processor.  It almost feels like betrayal, but they are better... I guess.  My Socket 939 performs admirably, but AMD really hasn't advanced beyond it.  AM2 is just the same thing with DDR2, and the Phenom hasn't done much yet.  But the decision to switch would be made all that much easier  with the March Sweepstakes if I should so kindly be blessed, heh.  Ah AMD, please come out with something that beats Intel clock for clock.  I can't ride my ancient socket forever.

using a sempron right now want to stay with amd but dont want something obselate so i probably end up with intel