Dell stops selling AMD-powered machines online
By Nilay Patel 
posted Feb 7th 2008 8:02PM
posted Feb 7th 2008 8:02PM
Update: As many of you have noticed, Dell's website is pretty inconsistent, showing the statement above but still offering a couple AMD machines for sale. We've got a call in, we'll hit you with info when we get this cleared up.
Update 2: Dell says that AMD-powered consumer machines are retail-only, but that business-grade machines will still be sold online. Still, it looks like this was pretty badly botched -- check out the full scoop on what Dell told us here.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
and the world doesn't give a crap...
Speak for yourself dude.
This is a really big deal in terms of the arrival of a monopolistic processor market.
Fool.
Not to mention, if you really boil it down to price/performance comparisons, AMD dominates the low-mid market in a big way. Their 5200+ is probably the best CPU performance per dollar out right now. (This comes from somone with 3 Intel Core 2 machines).
Geez, Dell really knows how to kick a guy when he's down.
what's weird is that it seems like AMD is actually not even trying to keep itself out of the bottomless pit.
what the hell is wrong with them over there? i'm 15, and i could do a hell of a better job keeping them afloat then whoever that guy is.
they need to SERIOUSLY focus on whatever they got after the Phenom serious otherwise..
palm seems to be in a similar situation in terms of what the problem is. they can't seem to figure out who they want to sell to (and for AMD what they want to sell)
the fact of the matter is that AMD has not been competing for a few years now. They need to get their company together and maybe try and do something... anything that remotely sounds like innovation.
yeah dude speak for your self i was about to buy one of those babys as a home server.
AMD have made some great processors in the past and i'm sure they will make great processors in the future.
yeah , they will make some great proc.....
if they are alive
@Tom Oliveri
So you were about to "buy one of those babys as a home server" based on the processors that AMD **USED** to make or **COULD** make in the future?!
I don't think I agree with your police work there 100%.
"any bets on how long they last?"
Dell's offerings, or AMD?
AMD and HD-DVD are throwing a party. Anyone going? Nobody?
Oh, sorry ATI, didn't hear you. Yeah, I'm sure you'll have fun at the party, we just don't feel like going.
My AMD is paired with a Blu-ray. HD-DVD, get lost.
dude... really?
INTEL = IBM in the late 70's
I'd take an AMD over an Intel anyday.... my Turion X2 1.6GHz (TL-52) beats my friend's 1.7GHz Core 2 Duo (T5300) in the real-world benchmark (VectorLinux clean install, both with 1GB RAM)
So AMD I'm still with you (I've always been since I compared my first computer, a Pentium II with a cousin's AMD K6, both were bleeding edge at that time.. 1998 LOL), and _screw you_ Dell....
That's not really a fair comparison...a TK series Turion would be fair against a T5000 Core 2, and a T7000 series would be fair against your TL.
But like I mentioned above though with desktops, AMDs dominate the low-mid range in mobile price/performance too...the TK-XX Turions can be had for the same price as Celerons or crappy T2000 series Core Duo's, and are better performers.
Ahhh, OR you could get a E4500 for 10 bucks more and overclock it to 3.2 Ghz ;)
I'm on a E6750 at 3.6 Ghz with the stock cooler. 35c core temps.
Yes, this is about price... maybe this doesn't matter much for Americans, but where I lie we have to get the most out of every single buck, and AMD is WAY better than Intel at it... because if we were to leave the wallet clean, we could get a Core 2 Quad and beat anything else.. (well, I don't know how Phenom is doing, but I've heard Intel is going really nice)
BTW, the E6750 can go beyond 4GHz.... not THAT is overclocking :-O
Don't know about you guys but I can still buy AMD Business Class Vostro's. So they have not stopped offering AMD completely online.
I have two dual core processors in different machines. I like my Intel far better than my AMD. Its just faster all around.
yes, the benchmarks dont lie AMD suck at the moment but remember athalon? when that came out they were trumping intel
Maybe in the desktop world, but I deal in the server market, specifically with virtualization and Intel simply can't compare. AMD, with its direct connect NUMA architecture and Pacifica virtualization extensions, we can get more VMs per processor core than on a similiarly equipped Intel system. And it translates into the desktop if you do virtualization there, which I do. My dual processor/dual core AMD HP workstation runs more VMs than my Dell Precision dual P4 system.
But to some of the posts, yes, it really matters little for the 75% to 80% of users.
Just remember, AMD isn't dead. Dell amongst others are going to put ATI GPU in their future notebook lines. Still I wish AMD could produce more powerful/efficient processors.
Chowder,
Your comment:
"Just remember, AMD isn't dead. Dell amongst others are going to put ATI GPU in their future notebook lines. Still I wish AMD could produce more powerful/efficient processors."
That makes no sense. AMD makes very powerfull and efficient processors. In reality, they are on a par in many respects. At any given time, they leap-frog each other as to who has the fastest clock vs who has the best power rating vs who has the most cache or whatever. Where AMD really shines is in the direct connect architecture. The front side bus is archaic and performs poorly compared with an AMD system.
Now, when you are talking about GPUs, sorry, nVidia owns that space in my opinion-especially since I run Linux and nVidia drivers are up to date and reliable (of course for gaming it's mostly Windows 2000 Pro (small memory foot print, easier to streamline) and XP in some cases). I'm sure there will be those who tout the Radeon or whatever but for my familiy's gaming usage, it's all GeForce.
Well, that was shortlived. I wonder how the CPU market would be had Dell and other big vendors sold computers with AMD CPUs back in the Athlon XP days, when they thoroughly thrashed P4s even at lower prices. No matter what your current CPU preference, you have to admit that Intel's unfair monopolistic practices definitely stifled innovation in the CPU industry.
Wait, what? Wrong article? How is this spam? You seem to prefer AMD, like me, so wtf?
Man I loved AMD in the P4 days. They need to step it up, Intel seems to be competing against themselves these days.
how is intel's practices monopolistic? intel and amd are a duopoly and so game theory applies. amd just can't keep up with intel cause everyone thinks, true or not, that intel processors are superior to amd ones
Uh, you must not have heard about how Intel used to give huge rebates to companies like Dell for being Intel-exclusive, and bullied companies in other ways to keep them from selling AMD chips when they were better and cheaper. That's definitely monopolistic, and why AMD sued Intel a while back. Unfortunately, the case is too far in the future to really make a difference. The Japanese government even acknowledged that Intel was engaging in unfair practices, but the US government has not done anything. Google Intel antitrust case if you want more info.
NONO, you're not getting it, this response was not for iofthestorm, I agree with him...
Below this message, there was a big (really big) SPAM message, I replied to that... but then engadget deleted the SPAM message but not my reply to it, and the system moved it to this comment
Oh lol, engadget's comment system is total fail. So that's why the comments are out of order.
iofthestorm,
Intel is not a monopoly. Dell did not have to make the deals. HP and IBM didn't. And it didn't stifle innovation. AMD's CPUs and chipsets are superior. Also look at 64bit, if AMD hadn't extended the x86 Intel never would have, in fact Intel didn't even want to until AMD did and started selling. Perfect example of free market where the customer benefits.
The Dell Business and Premier stores still have Optiplex 740 available.
I hope this doesn't do a big blow to AMD, they've already had some pretty tough times lately and we all know what will happen when there is no competition. (VIA doesn't count)
I hate the thought of one major chip maker for PCs. Also, I ordered a Dell 531 & it finally arrived last week.
AMD were the only Dell PCs listed as Energy Star compliant. In fact, they still are:
http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/energystar?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
AMD is the only processor I see listed.
Dell was an all-Intel house forever...this just means their minor flirtation with AMD is now over.
Wow how awesome. I really wanted to get a laptop for college, and I was considering a Dell, and I was going to get an AMD. Why you ask? Because it seems like theres a price premium for no real reason for anything with a Core 2 in it. Even if its a faster processor thats not a Core 2. But what else is new, absurd unjustified price premiums in the pre-built PC world. I really just wanted a cheap yet usable (If I wanted an eePC or whatever I'd dig out my 5+ year old laptop and start using that again) laptop with long battery life if possible, because I can do serious computing on my home PC. I guess I'll go with Asus or something.
BTW don't get me wrong, If your buying a PC/Building a PC/Getting a laptop and money is no object, Insist on Core 2, awesome chips :D I have a Q6600 in my Desktop. This price premium doesn't seem to exist so much on desktop versions. (I know the mobile chips cost more, but not THAT more, hundreds of dollars in price difference my ass)
I like AMD and that's my prerogative. Before Dell started selling AMD systems I didn't even consider them. When they started I advised the small businesses I was supporting to buy Dells and got them AMD Dells. If they cut out AMD again I'll just move my business to HP.
Why? Because as I said before I like AMD and that's my prerogative.
Bobby Brown likes AMD I guess.
Weird.
Is AMD your godfather? Did it save your dog?
I buy the best product in the price range I am looking. That's my prerogative. It strikes me as odd that anyone would do anything else.
I guess AMD marketing has managed to hook at least one guy, though...
This is absolute bullshit, Dell. I've been an AMD and Intel user for years, but coming from the old school of gaming and frugalness, I prefer AMD. I'm running AMD in my main system right now. I'm running AMD at work.
So fuck you Dell, you're just giving me more reasons to hate you and your corporate tie$.
You know, you can always buy a Vostro or Latitude online, and the AMD powered Inspirons are still in stores, They haven't gotten rid of AMD powered stuff, just changed the way people can buy them through Dell's "Home/Home Office" store.
I never have nor ever will purchase a Dell computer, I just think that offering less options CPU-wise will end up hurting their reputation and possibly even financial income as compared to offering more than mainly Intel. But I guess Intel is feeding Dell big $$$...agh, corporations are so evil!
Free thinker:
Yeah, corporations are evil. What a stupid ignorant statement. Without these so-called evil greedy corporations, where would the world of technology be? Nowhere. Tell you what. You try to build a computer system from scratch-I'm talking about at the silicon level. It can be done. What's that? Your computer would cost tens of thousands of dollars for just one because you'd have to buy the chip manufacturing machines, wait, an evil corporation makes those chip systems, so you hate evil corporations so you don't want to buy one. And so on. And then there are the evil drug companies, you don't want to get sick and need medicine, because the cure comes from the billions of dollars that an evil corporation invested in creating that drug.
Without evil, greedy corporations, we'd still be in the dark ages, live truly horrid lives. Pounding out a menial and manual living.
You may want that but I sure don't. So, get rid of all your things that come from corporations, divest your investments, since you don't want to be part of such a horrible thing as an evil, greedy corporation, and go live in some commune somewhere...also, your name sure is a misnomer...
Come on EU, file more anti-trust lawsuits against Intel (and now Dell) for promoting monopolistic actions.
Leroy,
The EU? All that would do would be to stifle the market and make things worse. Why do you folks always go crying to the government like a bunch of babies. Vote with your dollars, show Dell this is a mistake by buying from a vendor that still sells AMD on the desktop.
Government involvement in the market always is a bad thing.
I don't understand this whole Intel vs. AMD shenanigans. A CPU is a CPU. You buy what you can afford. If you can afford a slightly faster CPU then you buy a slightly faster CPU. Squeezing every possible ounce of power out of it gets you what exactly? a browser opening seconds faster? a couple extra FPS in your video game? a couple of seconds off of your encoding home-movies?
Real world comparisons are rubbish. RUBBISH I tell you. With how much processing is done by other components on board, there just isin't any apples-to-apples comparison you can do these days.
Sure, back when there was one socket to go around and you plugged whatever you bought into it and it worked--that was differnt. Nothing other than the CPU changed, so that was a true comparison.
But now you got northbridge and southbridge doing stuff that the CPU used to have to do--not to mention dedicated chips for networking, sound, USB hosts, wireless, etc. which all do their own parts. So there isn't a way to test if one CPU is faster than the other. The boards are so radically different, that it's not worth it.
I buy what I know will work. I read online forums, and I read opnions on the websites that I buy my product from. I also ask local stores and what they see coming back in.
But at the end of the day, I buy AMD. They have a good track record as far as making chips that are reasonable priced that have a fairly good lifespan before they are considered 'phased out'. They also keep a pretty even keel when it comes to sockets.
Yes, I got burned by the AM2+ socket, but that is okay. I need a new motherboard anyway.
And I have seen more Intel CPU's fail than AMD CPU's. But that's just my opinion. It is based on the PIV systems I built that came back to me within a month and the CPU just... I don't know. They just failed. They didn't overheat, they just failed. Stopped. Ceased. No POST error, just nothing. Like the CPU wasn't even in the socket. Poof. gone. The motherboards were fine, the CPU just kicked the bucket for unknown reasons.
None of the AMD systems I have ever configured have ever come back with that kind of vauge problem. The motherboards have fried, or the CPU has gone up in smoke--but never just this "Meh, we won't work anymore. Not going to tell you why either." stuff.
So you buy what you buy. At the end of the day, it lets you do stuff on it and that is that. If you absolutely need to have the fastest thing in the world--chances are you have the cash to buy a new computer every month when something new comes out.
Good for you.
Well, for your information, the speed and efficiency of the CPU is very important. I used both a T7200 notebook and a Q6600 desktop and my desktop cannot even achieve speeds that I need. We are in 2008 now. If I click on an Excel document, it should immediately show up in front of me on a high-resolution large display.
Time is money... your time just seems be to lacking in value.
A laptop is designed to be portable, not fast.
Stop using things that they weren't designed for, and maybe you won't be wasting your oh so valuable time.
Alex you sir are full of crap. I guess you never heard of the luggable PC. There are different classes of laptop. UMPC 6" display (1lbs), Ultra light laptops (8-13" display (2-4ish lbs, standard laptops 14"-15" displays (6-7ish lbs), desktop replacements 17" displays (7-8ish lbs) and luggables 20+" displays usually topping out around 9lbs.
So please do us all a favor and stop inventing BS on the fly. A laptop is intended to allow you to do your damn job on the go. That is the PRIMARY purpose of a laptop. This whole it wasn't designed to do that...can you even type something like that without thinking its crap? Next you will tell me that Dell, HP, et al should scrap their workstation class hardware because CAD\CAM\ graphic artists should settle for more moderate hardware because its the standard. Gah...Sometimes I wonder why I even come to this site. I see this insane rational way too often. Makes me want to kick a kitten or something.
I'm with this one entirely, a processor is a processor, my interest in the brand is non-existant, it just so happens I have an intel chip as they are the best currently :D
the day I show any interest in AMD is they day they bring out another decent processor like the AMD64
@John Doe: If they were designed to be desktop replacements, woulden't they be the equivalent of desktops then? 7200RPM drives, full-speed CPU, standard keyboard-sized keys, nice big and bright LCD with no ghosting, etc.
Oh, no. They don't. Why? Because they have to use the tiniest of parts, and the cream-of-the-crop CPU, and then they under volt them so they run cooler so the laptop doesn't melt off your 'special purpose' when you are trying to use it on the airplane from NYC to ATL, on route to YYZ through COL. Not only taking up a bunch of room, but also making it hard for me to sleep with your constant tapping of those plastic keys. Why should I have to listen to you tap away on some TPS report just because you didn't have enough time in the office where you should be...
Sorry. I got a bit off topic there. Back on again.
Laptops were designed to be portable--otherwise they would be a desktop. I mean, why cram all the technology in the world down to a
You guys need to check your facts, The Inspiron 531 (powered by AMD Turion) Desktop and the Inspiron 1501 (Powered by AMD) are both still available for sale on www.dell.com. This is extremely poor reporting.
Yup, the link in the story shows all kinds of AMD machines available online. Or did I miss something?
Doh I apparently missed most of the paragraph. It's definitely past my bedtime.
I mentioned this above: but go AMD Dell for their Energy Star compliant models. Still listed & available, I would presume.
AMD, please clean up your act, we need you!
dell? what's that?
is it anything like newegg?
first of all their CEO Mr. Hector Ruiz needs to stop giving himself pay hikes and bonuses
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/35301/122/
who would care for a company when the CEO himself does not give a sh*t...
dell sucks ...
Intel (today) means two processors with max 8 cores (realistically). With AMD, you can have 8 processors and 32 cores. As more consolidation continues and virtualization escalates... AMD starts looking very attractive on the server side. My guess is that we're just talking about desktops and laptops.
But still... AMD makes a better processor price wise (10-20% less performance at less than half the price).
Mistake? My guess is that if demand for AMD picks up, Dell will sell AMD again. It's just a matter of time. With that said, AMD really, really, really, really needs to figure out what it is doing and they need to deliver a platform that is just a stable as Intel (I'm posting from a 4-way Opteron box, if that matters).
I've always found it irritating that most of the biggest Dell discounts seemed to be on their AMD machines, now I know why - they were just trying to get rid of all their old inventory.
Still, true AMD believers should have nothing to cry over - they should be building their own machines from scratch because if AMD is really the cool rebel choice why would you give over $$$ to a megacorp like Dell, HP, Gateway or IBM?
at least AMD does not steal projects from universitys...
on the other side Intel is being sued cause something like that right?
Did anyone at Engadget bother to actually take a look at the Dell website? They are still selling AMD on both the Home and Small Business websites.
The Optiplex 740 "AMD Powered Solution" is still there on the small business site. And the Inspiron 531 is still there on the home site.
Engadget needs to issue a correction... well... unless this report is some kind of nasty Intel tactics to generate FUD.
The reason, I think, behind the lack of AMD offerings is that AMD is no longer making any dual cores. The tri-core idea is hopefully dead to, and its been rumored that Phenom quad cores will make it into AMD laptops at low power.
Even if they only run at 1.2 gigahertz, it'd be the first quad core offering in a laptop other than a few custom laptops which squeeze desktop quad cores inside. And the performance of a quad core, considering that OS needs can be ran on a core, one program on another and another on another, with music playing in the background, would make a quad core laptop an awfully attractive business app. I have yet to meet an accountant who doesn't have an SQL Server, Spreadsheet, and web browser running all at once, and I am studying to be one, I have a good chance of knowing.
It'd also offer superior performance for the student laptop market, as they too will be running multiple crap at once.
This is a perfect example of totally irresponsible Blogging! If anyone would take the time to actually go to the Dell web site they would find there all the AMD models on there today there was 6 months ago.
This is total BULL-SHIT!!!!
Is this story actually even correct? The link goes to the small business section.Not the entire site. Energy Star compliant systems based on AMD X2 are still being sold. There is an AMD Optiplex available and servers based on the Opteron available on the site. I tested all the way to checkout and they are available. This is weak reporting. Maybe the call in to Dell should have been made before the story was posted? Weak!
Alexander,
You don't "get" the Intel vs AMD yet you clearly show that you prefer AMD, so you are part of the Intel vs AMD ranting-just like the rest of us. Try and be a little intellectually honest.
And no, a CPU is not just a CPU, unless all you are doing is a little web surfing and office type stuff.