AMD delays 9900, 9700 Phenom chips

AMD on Friday confirmed that it will delay its quad-core Phenom 9900 and 9700 chips that were expected in the first quarter. These chips will be pushed into the second quarter, but AMD will deliver an energy efficient Phenom and triple core offerings on time.

An AMD spokesman confirmed reports (News.com and Ars Technica) about the delay. The company said the delay isn't part of a widely reported errata that has delayed the launch of its Barcelona server chip.

In lieu of the quad-core chips, AMD now plans to push its triple-core chips--a kind of tweener desktop chip that can improve yields--and launch energy efficient Phenoms. This roadmap audible comes just weeks after executives outlined a first quarter rollout for analysts.

A spokesman maintained that the AMD made the changes based on "OEM and partner input." AMD plans to launch the Phenom 9000E quad-core chip and its triple cores. The moves were based on "prioritization and resources."

Update: For good measure, here are the AMD talking points as emailed to us.

• AMD launched its highest-volume versions of AMD Phenom quad-core processors in mid-November (models 9500 and 9600), and we shipped hundreds of thousands in Q4 2007. OEMs demonstrated production AMD Phenom processor-based desktops during 2008 International CES this week.
• For the enthusiast market, AMD then launched a performance tunable “Black Edition” of the 9600 model in December 2007 to address the enthusiast market. This was an additional quad-core product added to our Q4 roadmap and is now available on major e-tailer sites.
• AMD will now introduce the AMD Phenom 9700 and 9900 models in Q2 2008. This decision was based on OEM input on how AMD should prioritize its next two waves of AMD Phenom processor models. Based on these customer inputs, AMD will continue to prioritize volume-based Phenom products, including the AMD Phenom triple-core processor introduction for consumer and commercial markets this quarter, and now a new energy–efficient 65W AMD Phenom 9000e series processor in this quarter (instead of Q2). AMD Phenom 9700 and 9900 models will immediately follow next quarter.
• Our OEM customers are placing more priority on our energy-efficient and triple-core processors, where the volumes and ability to differentiate products take precedence over the more prestigious, but much lower volume, higher performance quad-core products.

The talking points--along with my raw notes in the talkback below--should give you enough fodder to connect your own dots.