Update: Dell has removed the disclaimer from its website that read "Computers with AMD processors are not available online," and as Dell's Anne Camden points out: Latitude, Vostro and Optiplex systems using AMD processors will continue to be made available on Dell's website.
It's been a long while now since Dell adopted a range of AMD processors in its systems, but it appears that its relationship with the struggling chipmaker may soon be coming to an end - at least online. A quick look over on the US Dell website shows a cautionary note at the top of the search page for anyone looking for an AMD system:
Shop for Dell computers with AMD processors in retail stores. See our retail partners for details. Computers with AMD processors are not available online.
Those of you looking for an AMD-powered Latitude D531, Vostro 1000 or OptiPlex 740 will have to get it at one of Dell's retail locations such as Best Buy, Staples, or Wal-Mart. Of course, the overwhelming majority of Dell's business is done online so this is clearly a big blow to AMD - and to consumer choice. But given AMD's less-than-stellar performance of late, it is hard to argue that Dell should focus on AMD chips, as Intel's Core 2 range of processors manages to beat them on price versus performance in pretty much every area of the market.