Abstract
The semiconductor market, which include microprocessors, motherboard chipsets and graphics processors is dominated by the two California-based companies Intel and AMD (Advanced Micro Devices). The growth of the computer industry in the late 1990's has enabled Intel to become the major supplier of microprocessors for PCs. During this monopoly, Intel imposed its rules with aggressive and sometimes illegal practices.
In 2003, the launch of "Opteron", a new microprocessor, has redefined the rules of the microprocessor market as well as the new strategy of customer-centric approach adopted by AMD. In order to maintain its market shares and defense its market position, Intel decided to strike back by launching new generation of chips in 2006. This technological and strategic war raised some questions to know if AMD was able to compete with the world's largest manufacturer of semiconductors.
