Green Grid Another Step Down AMD Path For Dell

Despite some analyst reports over the past six months that Dell would soon break its "Intel Only" policy, the company created 22 years ago in a University of Texas dorm room by Michael Dell has yet to ship a system using increasingly popular processors from Advanced Micro Devices. This week's announcement at the World Conference on Information Technology in Austin, Tex., that Dell would join the AMD-driven The Green Grid consortium again fueled speculation that Dell will begin using the more energy-efficient AMD processors.Following his keynote speech at WCIT on Thursday, Dell took a few questions from the audience. The questions primarily centered on the company's uncommonly less-than-stellar financial performance of recent quarters and falling stock price. Dell was also asked was why he continues to pass on using AMD processors. A correlation between the two issues may be a large leap, but Dell didn't unilaterally shoot down his potential use of AMD processors.

"There are a lot of new things going in the microprocessor world, including improving power efficiency," Dell said. "We are developing products that give our customers the absolutely best technology in the market, and I'll leave it at that."

There's an open invitation for Intel to join The Green Grid, which is working in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency to enable more energy-efficient computing systems and data centers. Current members include AMD, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and Sun Microsystems. It seems somewhat doubtful that Intel will lend its name and effort to a consortium that, while not led by AMD, has been driven by AMD.

Dell's comments Thursday might be in reference to his company's planned use of the new and lower-power Intel Core architecture microprocessors, which are expected to hit the market later this year. Dell could also be opening the door to AMD.

There have been numerous indications that Dell is tempted to get in bed with AMD. Last year, Dell inexplicably began offering standalone AMD processors on its Web site. And the company has a pending acquisition of Alienware, a provider of high-end gaming PCs that offers systems using AMD processors, which could potentially provide a back door to inclusion of AMD in the Dell family.

Alienware will be operated as a standalone subsidiary, however, which would provide a barrier between Dell and AMD. Within Alienware are a number of AMD-knowledgeable engineers who could potentially be tapped to help lead a move to full-scale Dell adoption of AMD.