Dell, AMD expected to expand chip pact

Dell, the last of the big four server makers to accept Advanced Micro Devices' chips into its product portfolio, is expected to announce Thursday that it's expanding its partnership with the chipmaker to include new AMD-based servers, desktops and laptops.

Dell already scrapped its longtime Intel exclusivity in May, committing to sell a four-processor server with AMD's Opteron by the end of the year. That's a relatively high-end niche for the Round Rock, Texas-based computer maker, but sources familiar with the company's plans expect a broader alliance to be announced Thursday afternoon, when Dell reports quarterly financial results.

One source expected Dell to announce plans to sell dual-processor Opteron servers, a segment of the market with much higher sales volumes than for four-processor machines. Another expected the alliance to include desktop and notebook computers as well.