If it transpires, the move would be a departure for Dell, which exclusively sells desktop PCs using microprocessors from Intel Corp.
Glen Yeung, a Citigroup analyst, reportedly told Reuters that Asia-based PC component makers had confirmed that Dell was planning to offer an AMD-powered desktop machine in the fall.
Dell declined to comment.
Citigroup Investment Research has confirmed from industry sources that Dell will offer an AMD based desktop in September of this year, Yeung wrote in a recent research note.
We note that AMD has recently expressed confidence that they will gain share in the second half of the year, and we point to this win as the basis for this confidence.
No details of box configuration are available, Yeung said. He told Reuters that Dell might be readying a lower-end desktop powered by AMD processors.
Yeung reportedly pointed to Dell’s agreement in March to buy Alienware Corp, a privately held maker of high-end PCs, noting that AMD chips already power some Alienware computers.
In terms of positioning, the low end would be a reasonable assumption, Yeung said to Reuters.
Round Rock, Texas-based Dell last month said it would us AMD’s Opteron chips in some of its high-end servers by the end of the year.
Sunnyvale, California-based AMD declined to comment on the Dell desktop speculation. Our OEMs drive when and what they announce, said AMD spokesperson John Taylor.
However, Taylor noted that historically and as a matter of course, AMD’s OEM customers have expanded into multiple product partnerships with the chipmaker. He cited Hewlett-Packard Co, among other customers, as examples. HP, of course, has a full AMD-powered line of servers, desktop and mobile computers.
A year ago, AMD filed an antitrust lawsuit against Santa Clara, California-based Intel for allegedly threatening customers with retaliatory action if they bought chips from underdog AMD. Dozens of the world’s largest computer OEMs have been subpoenaed in the case, including Dell.
Intel denies the allegations and said it customer discounts were not illegal but rather in keeping with the essence of competition.
The case is progressing slowly, largely due to the voluminous amount of electronic evidence being collected, and is not expected to go to trail until next year.
AMD has been recently taking market share away from Intel. Intel, which dominates the world’s microprocessor market, has lately been cutting prices on its chips ahead of the release later this year of products based on its new low-powered chip micro architecture.
