AMD challenges Intel

Sunnyvale: AMD issued a challenge to Intel to conduct a head-to-head competition of dual-core x86 server processors.

AMD's proposed dual-core duel in 2005 would be a live, public performance evaluation between server platforms based on the highest-performing Dual-Core AMD Opteron 800 Series or 200 series processors and the corresponding Intel x86 server processors that are commercially available.

The challenge, which was issued in publications like The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, San Jose Mercury News and The San Francisco Chronicle, features the world's first x86 dual-core server microprocessor, the Dual-Core AMD Opteron processor, in a boxing ring waiting for the Intel challenger. AMD has challenged Intel to settle the question once and for all-whose x86-based dual-core architecture best meets server customer's needs.

"Since we launched Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors in April 2005, we've won every major industry-standard benchmark for x86 servers. AMD64 dual-core technology provides industry-leading performance, is easy to upgrade and is energy efficient," said Marty Seyer, corporate VP and GM, Microprocessor Solutions Sector, AMD.

"We are giving our competitor a fair and open opportunity to challenge our clear market leadership in a public setting. A head-to-head match using industry-standard benchmarks will arm customers with the information necessary to determine which company can best meet their computing needs. The gauntlet has been thrown down, it is time to cut through the hype, and demonstrate who the industry's leader in x86 dual-core processing is today,” he said.

Should Intel accept AMD's challenge, the duel would take place at a public venue to be announced in the coming weeks, with testing conducted by a neutral, third-party testing lab. Testing would be done using industry-standard server benchmarks most relevant to customers today such as SPECjbb and SPECweb Measurement on energy consumption would also be conducted.