AMD Bulldozer processors rumored to suffer slight roll-out delay. Will Intel push up Sandy Bridge Extreme release date in response?

Summary: All signs were pointing to AMD announcing its new high-performance desktop processors, code-named Bulldozer and offering up to eight cores, this week at Computex, or at the latest next week at E3. However, Anandtech is reporting that the company has encountered a production delay that may push the launch back to the end of July.

All signs were pointing to AMD announcing its new high-performance desktop processors, code-named Bulldozer and offering up to eight cores, this week at Computex, or at the latest next week at E3. However, Anandtech is reporting that the company has encountered a production delay that may push the launch back to the end of July.

In particular, the tech site says the difficulty involves "performance issues with [AMD's] B0 and B1 stepping chips." AMD is waiting to obtain better performance on the B2 chips before releasing the new CPUs. For its part, the chip company told Bright Side of News that its public roadmap has not changed, but the site also says that motherboard companies are chattering about Bulldozer delays.

To make matters worse, the hint of delays in what were supposed to be game-changing chips for AMD may be giving Intel a reason to push up the release of its forthcoming Sandy Bridge Extreme processors. At Computex, Hexus.net has already been shown a prototype of an Asus motherboard using the new Intel X79 chipset, which will support the Sandy Bridge Extreme CPUs. If Bulldozer's launch slips to August, it might not be a stretch for Intel to nudge the SB Extreme from the expected fourth quarter release date into September.

Depending on whether Intel plans to be aggressive in pricing its Extreme chips -- which it hasn't been to date -- eight-core Bulldozers still could be considerably cheaper, but any less-than-stellar performance could blunt the price advantage. We'll keep you posted when AMD officially introduces the new processors -- whether it's sooner or later.

Topics: Intel, Hardware, Processors

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

9 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion
  • It won't matter.

    The way I see it, Intel is loosing the low end and the mid range right now and if Bulldozer comes out swinging Intel could be in for a very rough year!

    Of course, if Intel took their Graphics Chip Division Seriously, maybe the Atoms could compete with the Fusion Line of APUs.
    slickjim
    • Intel Graphics Performance

      @Peter Perry They tried that once. I still remember hearing about how great Larabee was going to be. Turns out, they fail when it comes to graphics performance. The only way they can compete is to literally refuse to license their chipsets. This would be why none of the low end MacBooks or other laptops no longer have nVidia or AMD graphics chipsets integrated. Hopefully the settlement with nVidia will change that in future lineups because I don't want to buy a MacBook Air with Intel Graphics.
      nucrash
    • RE: AMD Bulldozer processors rumored to suffer slight roll-out delay. Will Intel push up Sandy Bridge Extreme release date in response?

      @Peter Perry

      Nah, Intel will be just fine, considering how much of a buffer they have. It will, however, give AMD a LOT of breathing room that they've been short on for the last few years...

      Posting from work, so need this disclaimer:
      "The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."
      gnesterenko
    • RE: AMD Bulldozer processors rumored to suffer slight roll-out delay. Will Intel push up Sandy Bridge Extreme release date in response?

      @Peter Perry: that really ought to be...their Graphics Chip Division? Seriously?
      Heimdall222
  • RE: AMD Bulldozer processors rumored to suffer slight roll-out delay. Will Intel push up Sandy Bridge Extreme release date in response?

    I can wait. My dual core setup seems to be in working order.
    Going from a dual core to 8 cores will be an extreme upgrade that probably can wait a bit.
    campcreekdude
  • RE: AMD Bulldozer processors rumored to suffer slight roll-out delay. Will Intel push up Sandy Bridge Extreme release date in response?

    I felt no difference from an old P3 to a Core2Duo with Quadro graphics adapter.
    Really I cannot see faster computers making the computing experience that much better.
    ingle
    • RE: AMD Bulldozer processors rumored to suffer slight roll-out delay. Will Intel push up Sandy Bridge Extreme release date in response?

      @ingle ...??
      Opinions are opinions but i hardly believe you "felt no difference from an old P3 to a Core2Duo". And, to make matters worse...you said "I cannot see faster computers making the computing experience that much better". ??
      djtonic2
    • RE: AMD Bulldozer processors rumored to suffer slight roll-out delay. Will

      @ingle Are you crazy! I was stuck with a stupid P3@800MHz forever! Then I upgraded to a P4@1.6GHz. Both computers slowed down so easy! Going to the Core 2 quad was the best thing that ever happened to me. I admit, this was a major upgrade. If your complaining about load times, that has nothing to do with the CPU. Get a SSD.
      clikes2004
  • AMD

    Will this technology be in every PC following its launch?
    mitchellosu