Both Intel and Advanced Micro Devices were bragging last week. The world's largest chipmaker showed off its technical chops when it unveiled a working chip that uses 45-nanometer technology, which promises computing with less power and heat. Rival AMD, meanwhile, heralded a new market-share report that showed the company had surpassed 21% in the overall x86 market in the fourth quarter, its best quarter ever.
AMD beat Intel to market last year with 64-bit x86 chips and with dual-core chips. That paid off, according to Mercury Research. The chipmaker's share of the overall x86 market grew to 21.4% in the fourth quarter of 2005, up from 17.7% in the third quarter. For the entire year, AMD's share was 18.2%, compared with 15.8% in 2004.
Yet Intel will be the first to roll out 45-nanometer technology, which promises to use less power and generate less heat while delivering greater performance. The smaller processors also will help usher in quad-core processing. New chips can have twice the transistor density possible in Intel's current 65-nanometer technology, as well as provide a 20% increase in transistor switching speed.
AMD dismissed Intel's accomplishment, noting that critics had said that earlier Intel advancements in 90-nanometer chip design would hurt AMD sales, but its market share instead has grown.
A tech race in which the two top chipmakers feel the need to constantly one-up each other can only be good news for customers.
Quad core? The competition is getting intense. To bad the oil industry does not have competition to increase gas mileage and reduce costs.Yet Intel will be the first to roll out 45-nanometer technology, which promises to use less power and generate less heat while delivering greater performance. The smaller processors also will help usher in quad-core processing. New chips can have twice the transistor density possible in Intel's current 65-nanometer technology, as well as provide a 20% increase in transistor switching speed.