Dell starts selling AMD chips

Michael Singer CNET News

Published: 09 Nov 2005 10:05 GMT

...a Dell Dimension with "AMD Inside"? Because, says independent analyst Roger Kay, Dell is still selling to its original demographic: PC gaming enthusiasts.

"Obviously, you can't put one of these processors in an existing Dell machine. AMD and Intel motherboards are not compatible," Kay said. "Dell is selling these to consumers who may have everything that they need at the moment except the processor.

Dell's sale of wrapped AMD chips is also significant because the company does not typically offer individual PC components, such motherboards or fans.

"Is this the first step in bringing in AMD systems to the Dell market?" Kay asked rhetorically. That will depend on how much Dell succumbs to customer pressure, he then speculated.

While AMD provides discounts on bulk purchases, Dell's AMD chip prices are on average about $10 to $80 more expensive than Sunnyvale, California-based AMD lists its chips on its own Web site.