AMD "paper launches" don't slice salami

DISTRIBUTORS OF AMD'S latest products 2400+ and 2600+ products are still waiting for supplies in Europe, while retailers are forecasting "long lead times" for the chips, launched over a month ago now.

And sources close to the distributors tell the INQUIRER that they haven't even received samples of the expected 2800+ and 2700+ Athlon XPs. But they have samples of the hyperthreading 3.06GHz Pentium 4, we're reliably informed.

AMD introduced the 2400+ and 2600+ Athlon XPs on the 21st of August.

Or perhaps we should say paper launched the products, because although Her Majesty's Press had samples to review on that date, it's only a few OEMs who have product in the pipeline, it appears.

When Intel launched its "Coppermine" processors a few years ago, it issued press releases and supplied reviewers with processors, but just a few days after the launch, it told its distributors and resellers that the products wouldn't be available for months.

One reader, Dave Gallo, said: "AMD may as well launch a 10,000+ as far as I can tell. I need to purchase a new processor and have been trying to find any “Thoroughbred “B”” processors and have been told none are available even though they were “launched” over a month ago. This is a joke and you as the press is letting AMD get away with it, acting like 2400+ and 2600+ actually exist, they don't."

A quick trip over to UK firm Dabs, here, lists the 2400+ and the 2600+ as having "long lead times".

It's no better at Komplett. While the products are listed on its Web site, the availability date for both is now given as the 31st of October - that'd be two months after launch.

A German site, here, does seem to be offering the CPUs for sale.

And the situation in the US appears to be equally dire for supply -- Pricewatch doesn't list the processors yet. It lists stocks of Intel's most recent Pentium 4 as available, the 2.8GHz processor, which it says will ship the same day.

So how soon will 2800+ and 2700+ 333MHz front side bus (FSB) processors actually be for sale, rather than just exist in reviewer machines or on a press release? One OEM tells the INQUIRER today that he's unlikely to have samples of the new chips until around the time the Intel Pentium 3.06GHz launches.

This is surely not good news for AMD. We've contacted the firm for a statement and hope to have its response later in the day. µ

* JUST A NOTE The INQUIRER does not allow its full time staff to buy and sell shares in firms we write about.

See Also
AMD to intro 2400+, 2600+ on 21st [of August]
AMD to announce new Athlons on October 1st