Microsoft in talks to buy AMD

[RejZoR]

Yeah, Sony would be pissed!

Why? Samsung is also selling their chips to its biggest rival Apple and they both seem to churn out profit just fine.

What I'm more concerned about is the fact that Microsoft is pretty good with software, but with hardware, I don't know... There certainly would be benefits to it, Microsoft would have a better insight into the hardware they run their OS on (and vice versa), potentially developing furtehr DirectX features with their GPU's in mind and then spreading the love to others, but I just can't imagine myself owning a Microsoft Radeon R9-490X or Microsoft R9 Fury 2 X in the future...

 

[BiggieShady]

How about ... wait for it ... Advanced Microsoft Devices

 

[Fluffmeister]

I think this talk of AMD is far more realistic than the talk of NVIDIA. AMD is on the brink of going under.

Microsoft has always been close to AMD and Intel. I think Intel would welcome the idea because it should keep the FTC off of Intel's back for monopoly reasons. Also, Intel knows that whomever buys AMD really has no shot at being a 1:1 competitor with Intel because Intel is the fab king. Intel would likely still sue Microsoft if only to straighten out the licensing agreements.

Sony may sue Microsoft but I suspect Sony's hands are tied because PlayStation 4 needs AMD chips and only AMD can produce them. As long as Microsoft doesn't sabotage Sony's chips in any way, Sony will have to "deal with it" until the PlayStation 5.

Something will happen eventually for sure, no doubt in a few weeks time AMD will post yet another loss.

Why? Samsung is also selling their chips to its biggest rival Apple and they both seem to churn out profit just fine.

What I'm more concerned about is the fact that Microsoft is pretty good with software, but with hardware, I don't know... There certainly would be benefits to it, Microsoft would have a better insight into the hardware they run their OS on (and vice versa), potentially developing furtehr DirectX features with their GPU's in mind and then spreading the love to others, but I just can't imagine myself owning a Microsoft Radeon R9-490X or Microsoft R9 Fury 2 X in the future...

Hey I'm just speculating too, as I mentioned there is already going to be an agreement in place anyway with AMD, and AMD being AMD they are no doubt giving away their chips for peanuts.

The average joe probably doesn't know both consoles are powered by AMD, I doubt many have heard of them in the first place.

 

[Cartel]

If M$ buys AMD I'm switching to Intel/Nvidia.
I'm already leaning that way with AMD's stale desktop hardware and crappy drivers.
M$ has turned to garbage and buying AMD will be no hope.

 

[MxPhenom 216]

I think Samsung acquiring AMD is much more likely than Microsoft.

 

[Red_Machine]

What use would Samsung have for AMD? They already make their own SoCs, unless they'd just rebrand AMDs stuff to put in their tablets or something.

 

[Aquinus]

What use would Samsung have for AMD? They already make their own SoCs, unless they'd just rebrand AMDs stuff to put in their tablets or something.

Intellectual Property. X86 tech might not transfer but I bet you shader tech would. Would you buy a GPU with Samsung's name on it?

 

[AsRock]

the sharks can smell the blood in the water
AMD is a sinking ship ...

People have been blowing that whistle for years now.

Anyways, MS owning AMD i can only see bad.

 

[SonicZap]

Samsung is currently in court against Nvidia, if Samsung bought AMD's GPU patents they'd likely win the case. I can imagine them competing with Nvidia in graphics cards, although I doubt they'd want to start fighting against Intel.

I'm not sure what I'd think of Samsung buying AMD. I'd likely swap to Nvidia because Samsung's customer support and respect has sucked for a long time. I'm talking as an owner of a 840 Evo SSD, which slowed down below regular HDD speeds until the latest firmware, released two months ago, fixed it. It took Samsung way too long to fix it, and AFAIK they're still denying that the regular 840 has any issues, while people on various tech forums are reporting it having the exact same issue as the Evo had.

 

[RejZoR]

If I'm honest I hope AMD will pick up their shit and start making profit and revive their former glory. AMD and ATi were both amazing underdogs an it would suck to see them both gone...

 

[v12dock]

No more Wintel Up next Apple and Intel partner to crush Microsoft

 

[Red_Machine]

Apple, crush Microsoft? HA. I'll believe it when I see it. Apple and Intel are already partnered up anyway, they don't seem to be doing much together at the moment.

 

[Mathragh]

There would actually be loads of benifits for Microsoft, and AMD might at some point just not have any other option anymore.
Microsoft is making hardware in increasing amounts, Xbox, Phones, Surface, Surface Hub, Hololens. Their azure platform also keeps on growing. All of them would benefit a lot from more control over the hardware by Microsoft. Then there is also AMD which, eventhough quite far behind, has shown that even with a giant process disadvantage they can do some interesting stuff with carrizo (atleast leaks/presentations/benchmarks seem to suggest that). Even more if you consider their substantial R&D disadvantage.

Don't have a clue what would happen to AMD's consumer products though. They might be scrapped, or benifit significantly.

 

[Toothless]

Everyone wants to buy AMD it seems. In that case I bid $3.01 and nothing more.

 

[erixx]

Nobody mentions WINTEL? Oh this youth without substance!!! WinAMD would be the return of constant BSOD!

 

[v12dock]

Nobody mentions WINTEL? Oh this youth without substance!!! WinAMD would be the return of constant BSOD!

Look 4 post up

 

[Zakin]

Everyone wants to buy AMD it seems. In that case I bid $3.01 and nothing more.

Careful, your bid is competitive for their net worth already.

 

[xenocide]

I would love to see Microsoft buy AMD. They would probably get the company to actually focus and commit to something, plus provide stability. It seems like every few years AMD gets a new round of Exec's in there and with them they shift focus. Having someone directing them could probably be a huge benefit. Microsoft may not have Fabs, but is it so unreasonable to imagine them building some? They make enough profit every year to build a new Fab and stay in the black.

 

[mastrdrver]

This "news" has about as much credence as this:

"In related news, insider says Pentagon is planning for attack from England."

 

[a_ump]

I know microsoft is in the black year after year, but do they really have the capital to actually invest in fabs, let alone the R&D to make sure its done right, hire tons of fresh staff? I've been out of the loop for the past years but i thought that microsofts riches weren't in the same league as hardware manufacturers? course i may just be that naive.

EDIT: i see i naive, according to forbes, microsoft net worth ~300billion, intel at ~145billion. AMD...only ~5.7billion.

That's F'n crazy. I always knew there was a gap in resources between Intel and AMD but i never imagined by 30x. ssooo maybe Microsoft could pull it off financially.

 

[Red_Machine]

Apparently they have almost $90bn in cash to spend.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Apple, crush Microsoft? HA. I'll believe it when I see it. Apple and Intel are already partnered up anyway, they don't seem to be doing much together at the moment.

Thunderbolt. All Apple products, except those that run iOS, run on Intel processors.

Everyone wants to buy AMD it seems. In that case I bid $3.01 and nothing more.

A company that used to be worth over $40 billion now worth about $2 billion. It is also the only company in existence with any serious leverage over Intel.

AMD may go bankrupt but they will not be liquidated. It has too much IP value for that to happen.

Microsoft may not have Fabs, but is it so unreasonable to imagine them building some? They make enough profit every year to build a new Fab and stay in the black.

They cost over a billion dollars. Microsoft would have to ship a lot of product to even get close to a return on investment.

This "news" has about as much credence as this:

"In related news, insider says Pentagon is planning for attack from England."

I bet the Pentagon has contingency plans for exactly that scenario.

 

[R-T-B]

How much would you charge if you were TSMC and you knew that the new owner needs you?

There's always GloFo... oh wait, yeah, except they are GloFo. Never met a deadline they could not miss...

If M$ buys AMD I'm switching to Intel/Nvidia.
I'm already leaning that way with AMD's stale desktop hardware and crappy drivers.
M$ has turned to garbage and buying AMD will be no hope.

You can bet if MS bought AMD, the first thing they would do is kill off the already basically suckfest that is AMD's Linux driver program.

Everyone wants to buy AMD it seems. In that case I bid $3.01 and nothing more.

I'd think twice. Do you really want to service all their outstanding debt?

 

[v12dock]

You can bet if MS bought AMD, the first thing they would do is kill off the already basically suckfest that is AMD's Linux driver program.

Microsoft has been dumping money into Android

 

[R-T-B]

Microsoft has been dumping money into Android

They did that to get their cross platform compiling kit going I think. Don't mistake it for benevolence.