Live Chat with ASUS, Anand and Intel!

[Googer]

ASUS: I would like to see more enthusiast motherboards with at least one PCI-x (66 or 100MHz) Slot to improve the performance of existing legacy hardware like Gigabit NICs and Hard Drive Controllers.

Intel: Quad Channel Memory controlers, is this some thing that is possible in the future? Also I know they had some mobile chips in the lab a few years ago with on die memory controllers , but does Intel have any plans on selling any chips with Intergrated Memory Controllers like AMD64?

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: ribbon13
ASUS:
Why didn't the A8N32-SLI have the same slot pattern as the P5N32-SLI Deluxe, or at least have less PCI slots and more 1x PCI-express slots?

Why do we need PCI to go away when there is still a lot of hardware that needs it?
How much of X1 hardware do you have that warrents such excess? Most devices today are PCI, almost 20 years after it's creation we were still getting ISA Slots in most motherboards untill 2002. Today only DFI and Supermicro make socket 478 boards with ISA.

 

[undeclared]

Asus - will you keep going with the dual cards? (eg dual 7800 gtx, then maybe the dual 7800 gtx w/ 512 and higher clock speeds..), etc?

Also will you ever make ATI versions of these?

 

[RichUK]

Some of you guys are missing the point. These are product engineers not Sales or Marketing representatives.

Moving on.

Now considering really the next big thing that is going to impact us is Microsoft Vista, I would be inclined to ask what sort of impact this would have on future capable chips for this Operating System.

For instance what sort of new ?instruction sets?, on die ?features? will Intel propose to implement into their new product range when Microsoft Vista becomes mainstream/available? An explanation on particulars would also be preferable.

Also in what ways is Microsoft Vista going to impact the marchitecture of future Intel processors, is this going to be the end of x86?

Microsoft Vista is going to have 7 different variations of its new upcoming Operating System, one will be 32bit based ?Starter Edition?, and the rest will be 64bit native. This means a whole new era of computing.

As this is going to effect the whole computing industry, including AMD, I believe these to be some points of interest. Especially as this change is nearly upon us.

If Kristopher Kubicki picks my questions, I am sure he can elaborate on my points and produce better structured questions than I can.

RichUK

 

[ribbon13]

Originally posted by: Googer
Why do we need PCI to go away when there is still a lot of hardware that needs it?

What kind of X1 hardware do you have that warrents such excess? Most devices today are PCI, we were still getting ISA Slots in most motherboards untill 2002, almost 20 years after it's creation. Today only DFI and Supermicro make socket 478 boards with ISA.

All I have to say is this, it's chicken/egg. The faster PCI dissappears, the faster devices become native PCI-express. Wouldn't be more efficient use of trace space on the motherboard to only use 1 kind of bus? [L=Besides, it was a gripe of yours as well]http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=29&threadid=1702761&enterthread=y[/l[

People that share your way of thinking are probably why ISA took twenty years to go away. Unlike ISA and PCI though, PCI-express could probably last longer, as the standard is more robust even in it's first iteration. That is, in the future as technology advances, we'll be able to go from one or two(running in x8) x16 slots and 1x PCIe (common now) to boards with two x16 slots + three or four x4 slots. We haven't even seen use of the largest PCI-express connector (32x)

Oh, Thank you for providing me with another question:

ASUS/Intel: When can we expect the first chipsets/motherboards that completely abandon PCI?

 

[gozulin]

For Intel:

When do you think you will overtake AMD in performance? And don't you talk to me about hyperthreading, Extreme Edition or Ghz or whatever. We all know they're kicking your asses at every level except for laptops where the Pentium D reigns supreme. Level with us here.

For Asus:

Did you know that your name sounds funny in english?

 

[timberdoodle]

Originally posted by: thekillerjks
Intel: Will there be any new huge launches next year?

Asus: When will we see the new socket M2 boards from Asus out. Will they have DDR2?

I like the idea of having something more relevant to the immediate future like these questions, if we ask hypothetical questions, then they can really only guess at the answer so it would be foolish for both positions of the conversation.

 

[Markfw]

Originally posted by: ribbon13
Intel:
What are the chances that we might see something like a 65nm Dual-core Pentium M?

Is Intel going adopt on-board DDR2 memory controllers in any impending sockets/architectures?

I second this, except add "desktop" to the 65nm Dual-core Pentium M question.

Basicly, whe will they have something to REALLY compete with AMD, and will it be on socket 775 ? (meaning integrated memory controller DDR1 or 2) and no netburst crap.

 

[Viditor]

For Intel:
1. What socket changes (if any) can we expect over the next year or so?
2. Will there be any backwards compatability when Conroe is released?

For Asus:
We are seeing motherboards come out with on-board Audigy. Do you have any plans for one with on-board SoundStorm?

Edit: 2 more for Intel...
1. I noticed there is active memory cooling on your Dempsey demo server with FBDimms. What temps and power requirements do they (FBDs) have?
2. Will there be Benseley platforms that use standard DDR2 dimms (e.g. for 1u servers)? If so, what performance difference do you expect between it and the FBD version?

 

[rayjayturbo]

Originally posted by: microAmp
ASUS
Will ASUS use the ULi M1695 north bridge chipset in any future motherboards?

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: ribbon13

Originally posted by: Googer
Why do we need PCI to go away when there is still a lot of hardware that needs it?

What kind of X1 hardware do you have that warrents such excess? Most devices today are PCI, we were still getting ISA Slots in most motherboards untill 2002, almost 20 years after it's creation. Today only DFI and Supermicro make socket 478 boards with ISA.

All I have to say is this, it's chicken/egg. The faster PCI dissappears, the faster devices become native PCI-express. Wouldn't be more efficient use of trace space on the motherboard to only use 1 kind of bus? Besides, it was a gripe of yours as well

People that share your way of thinking are probably why ISA took twenty years to go away. Unlike ISA and PCI though, PCI-express could probably last longer, as the standard is more robust even in it's first iteration. That is, in the future as technology advances, we'll be able to go from one or two(running in x8) x16 slots and 1x PCIe (common now) to boards with two x16 slots + three or four x4 slots. We haven't even seen use of the largest PCI-express connector (32x)

Oh, Thank you for providing me with another question:

ASUS/Intel: When can we expect the first chipsets/motherboards that completely abandon PCI?

fixed


I did want at least two x1 slots. A single X1 slot by it's self just is not enough, I would probably fill that up rather soon. But At this point though too many x1's on a motherboard and you do loose a lot of funtionality since most devices are still PCI-L (legacy). I just wish they would replace PCI-L with PCI-X and have it co-exist with PCI-E. But at least one PCI-L slot will be needed for several more years though.

If there is just one slot on a board, then that device enjoys 100% of the 133MB/s bandwith avalable to it. Not too bad.

 

[Googer]

oops!

 

[imported_rod]

ASUS/INTEL: Since new intel CPU's often require new chipsets (and therefore new motherboards), is there any chance that intel and asus could work together to develop a MoBo with a replaceable chipset. This would help make current hardware more compatible with new hardware, and may remove barries to buying new gear/upgrading.

ASUS: Just a small thing, but any chance of including rounded cables with your MoBo's? It's touches like that tha set companies products apart...

RoD

 

[biostud]

Intel: Any plans for specialized cores for AI or physics implemented in the CPU?

 

[vasdrakken]

Asus:
I want to know why all the videocards are green? I seen blue ones that often go to the hardware review site but the endusers reading the reviews see the cool cards on the review site go to get one find a boring green card or red if ati. Why can we not see more of the cool looking cards like asus's blue led fan version of the 7800 gt or some of the 6800 series ones?
I remember when most of the mobo's where boring green.

Is there room and if so is it safe to install zalman's CNPS7000B-AlCu LED/CNPS7000B-Cu LED and Thermaltake Blue Orb II on Asus P5N32-SLI and A8N32-SLI? think due to weight and clearence around socket since the mosfet are almost all the around the socket.

Intel:
Are we going to see a dual cpu with the cpu's connected at a lower level then currently?
how about a socket that has the holes instead on the pins?

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: biostud
Intel: Any plans for specialized cores for AI or physics implemented in the CPU?

Good question! I can imagine that would requre a lot more memory bandwith than what todays memory and controlers can supply.

 

[kdrp]

ASUS:

Will you be making any type of socket adapter for the "Yonah" or the "Merom", that may go on the 865-875 motherboards?

 

[chynn]

For Intel: Nada, nunca, nil questions. I run AMD !!!!

For Asus: Do you offer "no heatpipe" versions of the A8N-SLI Premium and/or the new 2x16 AMD SLI board?? I cannot use either board in my Lian-Li V1200B case because the board mounts upside down (i.e., CPU at the bottom of the case).

FYI, heat pipe cooling is not effective when mounted upside down because heat rises ...

Thanks ...

 

[ribbon13]

Originally posted by: chynn
For Intel: Nada, nunca, nil questions. I run AMD !!!!

For Asus: Do you offer "no heatpipe" versions of the A8N-SLI Premium and/or the new 2x16 AMD SLI board?? I cannot use either board in my Lian-Li V1200B case because the board mounts upside down (i.e., CPU at the bottom of the case).

FYI, heat pipe cooling is not effective when mounted upside down because heat rises ...

Thanks ...

The A8N32-SLI comes with every necessary to replace the heatpipe with fans for people who watercool.

 

[Operandi]

Originally posted by: ribbon13

Originally posted by: chynn
For Intel: Nada, nunca, nil questions. I run AMD !!!!

For Asus: Do you offer "no heatpipe" versions of the A8N-SLI Premium and/or the new 2x16 AMD SLI board?? I cannot use either board in my Lian-Li V1200B case because the board mounts upside down (i.e., CPU at the bottom of the case).

FYI, heat pipe cooling is not effective when mounted upside down because heat rises ...

Thanks ...

The A8N32-SLI comes with every necessary to replace the heatpipe with fans for people who watercool.

The fan's don't replace the heatpipes they work with them for systems with low case air flow, which would be many water cooled systems. Fans or not the A8N32 is not well suited to a case like the v1xxx series.

 

[touchmyichi]

ASUS: Do you have any plans to use the ULI 1695 chipset?

 

[TallBill]

Bummer, gotta go to work, gonna miss out.

 

[SLCentral]

WTF is going on? I fvcking hate trolls that try to be funny by ruining things for other people.

 

[Sp33d]

So what's with the IRC server...I can't get in!

 

[Snoop]

I cannot login... I guess it will be back up soon