A few weeks ago, I’ve written an entry regarding the dizzying pace at which chipmakers are churning out processors in their manufacturing plants. I lamented that many of those who bought the Core Duo model felt cheated when Intel released the Core 2 Duo unit in just a short span of time after it has introduced the former.

At the rate Intel and AMD are going, one might not help but wonder on how are we going to use or what are we going to do with all that computing muscle. The two chip-making giants have been injecting steroids in their products in order to meet the processing requirements of various applications, especially Windows Vista. However, many experts are now saying that Intel and AMD might have overshot the runway by about a mile and a half.

Wait for Me

There was a time when software manufacturers were constantly whining on how slow chipmakers are in developing a processor that could fully exploit or support the full potentials of the former’s products. Indeed, the computers back then seemed to be always inadequate. Intel and AMD can’t seem to satisfy the insatiable demands of programs, especially those which involve image or video editing, for more computing power.

Things have drastically changed since then. The lot of software authors and chipmakers has taken a 180-degree turn. It’s the application manufacturers’ turn now to do be the “it” in their game of tag with Intel and AMD. Processors have not only become faster, but it also developed multiple brain or cores.

Fitting Everything in One Package

A few years ago, Consumers and chipmakers were toying with the idea of putting two processors in one motherboard. The idea seemed plausible, although those who entertained the scheme were turned off by the thought of introducing PCs that are preposterously expensive due to the fact that it has two chips.

Advances in chip-making during the past 3 years have enabled Intel and AMD to assimilate 2 or more cores into just one chip. This proved to be more economical and viable than the 2-chip unit. Both manufacturers immediately embraced the idea.

We Can Only Use One

Software manufacturers hailed the developments in the chip-making industry. Sadly, they could not yet exploit the full potentials or capabilities of the dual or multiple core chips that are already available in the market. Many of the programs that are being sold today are not designed to take advantage of the multiple processing capabilities of the chips. Hence, the extra power of the CPU is wasted. It’s as if the computer is just running on a single core processor.

Rude Awakening

Program makers admit that they are lagging behind in the race. In the recently held Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) in Los Angeles, software giants urged each other to come up with products that would be able flex every muscle of the computer. Even this year’s most talked-about application, Windows Vista, is not designed to make use of every core of multiple-brained chips. Microsoft’s Ty Carlson expressed the need for the next Windows to be able to fully utilize the number of processing cores that would be hailed or considered as the industry standard in the future or during the period when the new OS would be released.

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There will come a time (and it’s sooner than you think) when that dual or quad core processor of yours will become obsolete and will be replaced by a new chip that is 10-20 times more powerful. The news of its impending arrival has been received with both elation and frustration. Some are accusing Intel and AMD of flooding the market with beta chips, and that the two companies have been less candid with consumers on the release dates of their latest models.

Indeed, it would seem that Intel and AMD are taking us for a ride. It wasn’t long ago when Intel bannered its Core Duo processor as the best in the industry. Many rushed to buy new laptops and desktops that have the new chip. A few months later, Intel released the Core 2 Duo processor. Needless to say, the new chip’s predecessor became a collector’s item overnight.

Deceived

Many consumers bought the Core Duo processor, thinking that it’s Intel’s long-term replacement for the Pentium 4. It’s not surprising then, that they felt cheated when Intel released the Core 2 Duo in just a short span of time after it flooded the market with Core Duo chips. They said that Intel should’ve been candid enough to divulge that they will be coming up with another chip that’s twice as powerful as the Core Duo.

I’m one with those who feel bad about the way Intel plays in the market. Of course, it’s a good business strategy. However, consumers might also fight back by delaying the purchase of the chip-maker’s new releases. This could be very detrimental to Intel’s fiscal health, considering that consumers have the ability to delay the purchase of things, even essential ones, for an unreasonable length of time. The top producer of computer processors could then face the dilemma of having to advertise or banner both chips as the best in the market.

Patience Consumes Time, But Saves Money

You might contend that such a situation wouldn’t be a very big headache for Intel. In fact, it might even help them in reaching both spectrums of the market. The company has been successful before in marketing its Celeron and Pentium 4 chips. The former is considerably weaker compared to the latter. However, the Celeron is also substantially cheaper than the Pentium 4 and other more powerful processors. Intel marketed the Celeron to low-income consumers, while aggressively pushed for the use of its high-end chips to those who have plenty of cash to spare.

While the strategy proved to be successful for Intel in their Celeron-Pentium “situation,” especially in developing countries, such a scheme may not be applicable to its present dilemma. For one thing, the price discrepancy of the Core Duo and the Core 2 Duo is not that wide, if there’s any at all. Even if they do decide to cut the price tag of the weaker chip, I don’t think consumers would take a bite at it since they’re already anticipating the release of the next line of processors that Intel and AMD would be releasing within the year or early next year.

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