Asus to buy Asrock?

[techs]

http://semiaccurate.com/2012/09/28/asus-makes-an-offer-to-buy-asrock/

Asus makes an offer to buy Asrock

Word has reached SemiAccurate that Asus just made a bid for Asrock’s mobo division. The motherboard leader is about to buy the fast growing upstart out before they get too large.

Currently word has it that an offer has been made for Asrock, and Pegatron is essentially fine with the terms. This would take the #1 and #3 mobo makers and combine them, leaving the industry with one massive behemoth, one solid player, and a lot of minnows struggling to make waves. As of now, there is a first tier of Asus and Gigabyte, then Asrock, MSI, and ECS at less than half of that volume, plus a few niche players in the motherboard market.

If this buyout goes through, there would be a singular AsusRock as the first tier, Gigabyte as the second, and a third tier without the pricing leverage to compete. The already unhealthy industry would likely collapse into two players before people realized what happened.

 

[paperfist]

I always thought Asrock was Asus's low cost MB line...

 

[TridenT]

I always thought Asrock was Asus's low cost MB line...

Nope...

That said, 'fast growing upstart'? They've been around for quite a while now!

 

[Iron Woode]

I always thought Asrock was Asus's low cost MB line...

yes.

ASRock was originally spun off from Asus in 2002 in order to compete with companies like ECS and Foxconn for the commodity OEM market. Since then, however, ASRock has also gained momentum in the DIY sector and plans for moving the company upstream began in 2007 following a successful IPO on the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

 

[TridenT]

yes.

Interestin'. Didn't knows that. Thought they just had similar names.

 

[postmortemIA]

looking at number of intel boards available at newegg or bestbuy, I think they forgot to mention another player.

 

[Imp]

Ah... ASsrock.

First and only board I ever bought from them was defective, and it was my first computer so it took a long time to realize it - the SATA controller was busted.

 

[dennilfloss]

I always thought Asrock was Asus's low cost MB line...

Same here.

 

[yhelothar]

Same here.

Same... until I saw this anandtech review last week with an ASRock mobo that's gold plated and costs $600.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6228/...iew-pcie-30-x16x16x16x16-and-lsi-8way-sassata

And now today I'm told that ASRock isn't even part of Asus?



EDIT: Actually upon looking at ASRock's logo again, it's clear that they are part of Asus... WTF is that article about?

 

[jpeyton]

Asus to buy Asrock?

Asusrock.

Or Asrockus.

Asrus?

 

[Colt45]

probably just 'asus'.

 

[rommelrommel]

EDIT: Actually upon looking at ASRock's logo again, it's clear that they are part of Asus... WTF is that article about?

They were, spun off, and now Asus is considering buying them back.

 

[Ksyder]

Holy god, a 7 page thread arguing over the relationship between Asus and Asrock:

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151469&highlight=Asustek

 

[The Boston Dangler]

They were, spun off, and now Asus is considering buying them back.

it took the hamburgler here to spell it out for you "geeks"

 

[T_Yamamoto]

If Asus does by Asrock, would products get better or worse :hmm:

 

[HeXen]

Asus makes damn fine boards of their own.

 

[Iron Woode]

it took the hamburgler here to spell it out for you "geeks"

check post #4

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

I miss ABIT, DFI and EPoX

 

[_Rick_]

Well, both my DFI and EPoX board were rubbish (swelling caps, dead NIC), so I could do without them, but my ABiT board was a real darling and that P35 Pro is still running with 8GB of 1066 Mhz DDR2 and a 3.3 Ghz E6600, after 5 or 6 years.
Mostly I miss µGuru

 

[Mem]

Well, both my DFI and EPoX board were rubbish (swelling caps, dead NIC), so I could do without them, but my ABiT board was a real darling and that P35 Pro is still running with 8GB of 1066 Mhz DDR2 and a 3.3 Ghz E6600, after 5 or 6 years.
Mostly I miss µGuru

All brands had swelling caps issues back in those days,my DFI and Epox were fine,my Abit was fine infact only ever had a MSI board die on me but as well all know no brand is perfect,pot luck sometimes.


As far as Asus is concerned probably a wise move to make a bid since they were originally part of Asus and now Asrock is one of the upcoming brands that has shaken off their cheap low cost image they use to have.

 

[blastingcap]

ASUS and Asrock used to be related but now they aren't due to a spinoff. I guess they want to bring them back in the fold.

Those interested in mobos may want to read this:

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20120926PD228.html - "Intel Haswell processor design may cause motherboard players to exit market"

 

[Iron Woode]

Well, both my DFI and EPoX board were rubbish (swelling caps, dead NIC), so I could do without them, but my ABiT board was a real darling and that P35 Pro is still running with 8GB of 1066 Mhz DDR2 and a 3.3 Ghz E6600, after 5 or 6 years.
Mostly I miss µGuru

My Epox 8RDA+ had a caps issue. I even posted a thread about it here. Epox fixed it under warranty even though 2 years went by. Epox was by far my favourite board maker.

MSI was just crappy. I have seen so many MSI boards with bad caps, that I will not buy MSI.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Just pulled my old EPoX 8K3A+ and DFI AK76-SN out of the closet. They still power up and load Knoppix just fine

 

[bankster55]

Pegatron manufactured both brands
However as of about a month ago ASUS cut loose Pegatron and went with a basket of 3 manuf - the biggest ECS

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Looks like we'll "Rock ASUS."

Thank you, thank you, I'm here til Thursday. Try the veal.