kalniel
I wouldn't be trendously sure they're making a loss - the chips themselves are cheap enough, it's just the packaging and R&D that's pricey. But then again didn't AMD commision the dual-chip design from Sapphiretech in the first place? So that was maybe already done and paid for.
not really, sticking two 4850's on one card increases the cost compared to two disrete cards. I can't remember how many layers a single and a x2 board uses but you can guarentee the x2 uses a thicker pcb with more layers a lot more traces in a small space and more shielding of the signals being required, it increases the cost, increases the time the pcb spends in the plant making them, increases the time taken for each card to be made etc, etc, etc.
But as you say I still wouldn't remotely think these are making a loss. While Nvidia are certainly making losses on all the excess 280's being sold off stupidly cheap, and probably lots of their cards since the 280/260's, I'd hazard a guess the 4850/4870's were making a decent profit from the get go and still are and have a decent margin for reduction in costs.
This is just what AMD had in reserve price wise the whole time while waiting for nvidia's 55nm and their own x2 part. They could have done this 5 months ago when the nvidia 55nm stuff was due but basically had no need to at all.
In all honesty, theres very very VERY little either X2 can't handle, you'd have to be monumentally stupid to pay £400-450 for a 295gtx considering you wouldn't tell the difference in anything but deadspace to a £330 4870x2, maybe even the £250 4850x2. You'd have to be even more stupid to buy a 285gtx, hell the 295gtx is virtually the bargain of the century compared to it. Double the performance or near enough, for 30% more.