Will American computer consumers feel the effect of the huge fine for antitrust regulations levied against chipmaker Intel by European regulators? Very likely yes, in ways both direct and indirect. But there's no consensus on whether those effects will be beneficial or not.

The $1.45 billion fine by the European Commission—the largest the EU has ever levied—may give Intel pause in how it deals domestically with AMD, the other giant in semiconductor manufacturing. The result could be a more competitive global market for semiconductors, the components that are at the heart of computers' processing power.

In a statement issued by Intel CEO Paul S. Otellini, the company asserted that the decision was wrong, that there had been no harm to consumers, and that it would appeal the decision, but comply with it during the appeal process.

If Intel were to take a less aggressive stance toward AMD, it could mean lower costs for chips—or an end to what AMD Executive Vice President Tom McCoy today called "Intel's monopoly-inflated pricing." Yet some analysts are already predicting just the opposite, saying the decision could discourage the continuous price-cutting in semiconductors that has, for decades, delivered ever-better and ever-cheaper computers.

There are also predictions that the decision will spur a U.S. investigation or indictment of Intel. The FTC is in the midst of its own antitrust investigation of Intel, and the Obama administration says it has plans to beef up antitrust-law enforcement.