Another lame move by Intel

[lopri]

Intel is reportedly pushing mobo manufacturers' to NOT produce RD600-based motherboards. I think is this move is pretty lame and unnecessary at best for following reasons.

1. Currently the market is experiencing severe shortage of Conroe-supporting motherboards. (How many of you are still waiting for your P5W-DH?)
2. RD600 will most likely cater to niche market and the loss on Intel part would be minimal.
3. Once this news spreads widely it'll taint Intel once again with the image of "monopolist", "evil" and what not.

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4053

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: lopri
Intel is reportedly pushing mobo manufacturers' to NOT produce RD600-based motherboards. I think is this move is pretty lame and unnecessary at best for following reasons.

1. Currently the market is experiencing severe shortage of Conroe-supporting motherboards. (How many of you are still waiting for your P5W-DH?)
2. RD600 will most likely cater to niche market and the loss on Intel part would be minimal.
3. Once this news spreads widely it'll taint Intel once again with the image of "monopolist", "evil" and what not.

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4053

I think it's more because Intel 975x mobos support crossfire and they don't watnt to lose that potential market.

 

[TanisHalfElven]

what if amd stops letting them have cross fire.
bam. every ati/amd user is gonna consider not buying intell if only to keep the crossfire option open

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: tanishalfelven
what if amd stops letting them have cross fire.
bam. every ati/amd user is gonna consider not buying intell if only to keep the crossfire option open

won't happen because AMD stands to gain alot of money this way. I think maybe that since AMD owns the rights to ATI and gets some money from ATI sales which includes motherboard chipsets...Intel would like to keep them out.

 

[lopri]

The issue at hand is not about allowing/disabling CF. If Intel don't want to allow CF on their chipsets, that's their choice and not much of a discussion matter. The problem here is, if true, Intel is pushing motherboards' companies not to make RD600-based motherboards, leveraging their monopolistic market status. For easier understanding, imagine NV pushing ASUS not to produce 975X/P965 motherboards.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: lopri
The issue at hand is not about allowing/disabling CF. If Intel don't want to allow CF on their chipsets, that's their choice and not much of a discussion matter. The problem here is, if true, Intel is pushing motherboards' companies not to make RD600-based motherboards, leveraging their monopolistic market status. For easier understanding, imagine NV pushing ASUS not to produce 975X/P965 motherboards.

You missed what I was saying.

Right now...if you want crossfire with a C2D you have to buy a 975x Mobo for upwards of $250+

If someone released a cheaper crossfire board based on an ati chipset...think about how Intel would look at that.

 

[Avalon]

While in some ways it makes sense for Intel, I too think this is lame. One of the two reasons I haven't gotten a Core 2 chip yet is because of the motherboards. The prices are generally pretty high, most of the boards are buggy, and supply for many models is low. Plus, the BIOS maturity just doesn't seem there yet.

Then Nvidia's boards are a joke for overclocking Core 2, so I can't look to Nvidia. I was kind of hoping for ATI's RD600 chipset to be just the thing I was looking for. Well, at least it will still be out in time for the other thing I was waiting for to go Core 2: the E4xxx line.

 

[Ayah]

Originally posted by: Avalon
While in some ways it makes sense for Intel, I too think this is lame. One of the two reasons I haven't gotten a Core 2 chip yet is because of the motherboards. The prices are generally pretty high, most of the boards are buggy, and supply for many models is low. Plus, the BIOS maturity just doesn't seem there yet.

Then Nvidia's boards are a joke for overclocking Core 2, so I can't look to Nvidia. I was kind of hoping for ATI's RD600 chipset to be just the thing I was looking for. Well, at least it will still be out in time for the other thing I was waiting for to go Core 2: the E4xxx line.

Would be cool if Intel made a chipset which supported SLI.

 

[dexvx]

Originally posted by: Ayah

Originally posted by: Avalon
While in some ways it makes sense for Intel, I too think this is lame. One of the two reasons I haven't gotten a Core 2 chip yet is because of the motherboards. The prices are generally pretty high, most of the boards are buggy, and supply for many models is low. Plus, the BIOS maturity just doesn't seem there yet.

Then Nvidia's boards are a joke for overclocking Core 2, so I can't look to Nvidia. I was kind of hoping for ATI's RD600 chipset to be just the thing I was looking for. Well, at least it will still be out in time for the other thing I was waiting for to go Core 2: the E4xxx line.

Would be cool if Intel made a chipset which supported SLI.

Go whine at nvidia. They are the only obstacle for enabling it officially. Of course you can get modded drivers that get around the SLI disabling on a 975 chipset.

 

[Conky]

Well, Intel obviously only wants people to buy their chipsets and is in a position to squeeze some manufacturers. It's a bully tactic no doubt but you don't get to be as big as Intel by letting competitors come in and steal your bread and butter.

I don't even know if this RD600 chip will be all that great. It may take SiS, VIA or some other outfit to come up with the ultimate Conroe overclocker SLI/CF mobo chipset? Who knows, maybe even Intel might design a proper chipset for their new cpu?

 

[harpoon84]

It's business at the end of the day I suppose.

I don't see AMD allowing Intel to make chipsets for their own CPUs anytime soon, I don't see why Intel would allow ATI to make chipsets now that it is affiliated with AMD.

 

[CP5670]

At least it's good to know that DFI will be releasing their RD600 board. That's mainly the one I am looking forward to.

 

[DrMrLordX]

I like Conroe and all, but Intel needs to learn to stop trying to muscle people into avoiding competitor's products. They're already being sued by AMD over exclusive chip deals with OEMs, and now this crap? Cmon.

Kudos to DFI for giving Intel the middle finger on this one.

 

[lopri]

Yeah. At this point I don't think any other companies than DFI will make RD600-based boards. Hopefully DFI will give us their LP NF4 series-like boards for enthusiasts.

 

[dmens]

A company trying to prevent its main competitor from making money? Say it ain't so!

 

[lopri]

Originally posted by: dmens
A company trying to prevent its main competitor from making money? Say it ain't so!

There are many ways, or better ways, or legitimate ways to do that and Intel certainly has the talent and resources.

 

[Rommel44]

Intel is just like MS - I will simly buy from someone else.

 

[Roguestar]

Saying that Intel will cut off ATi or vice-versa is insane. Intel wouldn't want to lose essentially half of the graphics market - dominated by gamers, and ATi would be fools to eliminate CrossFire for C2D.

 

[zsdersw]

Originally posted by: lopri
There are many ways, or better ways, or legitimate ways to do that

.. which they're probably doing as well.

 

[RichUK]

Originally posted by: Roguestar
Saying that Intel will cut off ATi or vice-versa is insane. Intel wouldn't want to lose essentially half of the graphics market - dominated by gamers, and ATi would be fools to eliminate CrossFire for C2D.

How would they lose half the graphics market? 975 supports CF, and nVidia will no doubt soon enable SLI on the 975 chipset.

From what I had read a little while ago, ATI?s licence to produce chipsets on the Intel platform runs out at the end of this year, and Intel have already stated that they are not going to renew the license. Obviously due to the AMD/ATI partnership.

Therefore in theory DFI boards will start to dry up in the new year. I just wonder whether their BIOS support will be sufficient due to the circumstances.

 

[Roguestar]

Originally posted by: RichUK

Originally posted by: Roguestar
Saying that Intel will cut off ATi or vice-versa is insane. Intel wouldn't want to lose essentially half of the graphics market - dominated by gamers, and ATi would be fools to eliminate CrossFire for C2D.

How would they lose half the graphics market?

I meant that in that absurb hypothetical situation where Intel stop ATi cards working with their CPUs they would lose half the market. Hence why it is so ridiculous.

 

[Avalon]

Originally posted by: dmens
A company trying to prevent its main competitor from making money? Say it ain't so!

It's pretty obvious that everyone here knows why Intel is doing this. No need for the dramatics.

It's just going to be less choices we'll have for Core 2 motherboards, and even YOU must admit, that the selection and quality of the boards is less than exemplary.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Originally posted by: lopri

Originally posted by: dmens
A company trying to prevent its main competitor from making money? Say it ain't so!

There are many ways, or better ways, or legitimate ways to do that and Intel certainly has the talent and resources.

Seconded. Intel doesn't need to ask, suggest, cajole, convince, or hassle any motherboard manufacturer into not using a specific competitor's chipset. Their own chipsets are good enough to compete except maybe in the extreme overclocking department. I see nothing wrong with the 975x and 965. The board selection featuring these chipsets leaves something to be desired, but that's another story.

 

[n7]

Intel has been a lame strongarm-tactics company for a long time now.

Angers me a lot TBH, but there's not much we can do...save for not buying their wonderful C2Ds

 

[Dribble]

There is no ATI now, only AMD. Intel has always said don't use AMD, use us instead (because that's what competing companies do). There's nothing wrong with that - it's how a competitive market works. In the end of the day the consumer decides. Personally I'd steer well clear of ATI chipsets for intel because now they are part of AMD and there will be no future ATI chipsets for intel hence there is no incentive for ATI(now AMD) to maintain them.