Why do Intel based motherboards cost so much.

RichUK

Lifer
Feb 14, 2005
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678
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Is it just Intel milking the money off of their chipsets or what?

I've just been checking the Asus 975x boards, and WTF, they are well expensive. (Main focus on Conroe boards)
 

Duvie

Elite Member
Feb 5, 2001
16,215
0
71
I dont know either...i see nothing from them other then in the Asus deluxe mobo and a Wifi system...

I agree I am not happy to spend the premium for the conroe boards...
 

dguy6789

Diamond Member
Dec 9, 2002
8,558
3
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I am not entirely certain, but my guess would be that Intel boards have to have much higher quality power and voltage regulation than AMD boards due to the dramatic increase in power requirements. That is my idea for Intel boards in general.
My idea on why boards supporting Core 2 Duo are expensive is the same as yours. I believe Intel is simply trying to get as much money as possible out of them.
 

broly8877

Senior member
Aug 17, 2004
461
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yeah, my guess is Intel is making a nice profit on them.

It's not like there's a competitor making such high-quality chipsets for their platform
 

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
22,191
6,418
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Thats really a good idea, sell the cpu at a loss and make a ton on the chipset. I guess that form of marketing worked so well for printer companys that Intel decided to try it.
 

UsandThem

Elite Member
May 4, 2000
16,068
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Originally posted by: Greenman
Thats really a good idea, sell the cpu at a loss and make a ton on the chipset. I guess that form of marketing worked so well for printer companys that Intel decided to try it.

That has really hurt AMD IMO. They sell the CPU's, but let others make the profits on the chipsets.

The last one they produced was a really fast and stable chipset. It is a shame they don't do it anymore. It was leaps and bounds better than the VIA chipset.

 

Duvie

Elite Member
Feb 5, 2001
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Originally posted by: Greenman
Thats really a good idea, sell the cpu at a loss and make a ton on the chipset. I guess that form of marketing worked so well for printer companys that Intel decided to try it.



I guess that is why they love to change sockets and power requirements everytime....need a new mobo every cpu upgrade...versus AMD systems where my sckt 939 mobo handled 3 chips...
 

aka1nas

Diamond Member
Aug 30, 2001
4,335
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Originally posted by: UsandThem
Originally posted by: Greenman
Thats really a good idea, sell the cpu at a loss and make a ton on the chipset. I guess that form of marketing worked so well for printer companys that Intel decided to try it.

That has really hurt AMD IMO. They sell the CPU's, but let others make the profits on the chipsets.

The last one they produced was a really fast and stable chipset. It is a shame they don't do it anymore. It was leaps and bounds better than the VIA chipset.

Another way to look at it is that AMD has taken away almost all the performance advantage of one chipset over another by integrating the memory controller. This leaves the 3rd party chipset developers to fight it out with each over what are essentially south bridges. This helps bring down overall system prices for AMD machines and you really won't go wrong performance-wise getting a VIA chipset, for example, rather than an Nvidia chipset.

On the Intel side, few of the 3rd party chipsets offer the same performance as Intel's offerings and most probably have less quality control, or at least less perception of quality in the marketplace.
 

lopri

Elite Member
Jul 27, 2002
13,314
690
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Originally posted by: aka1nas
Another way to look at it is that AMD has taken away almost all the performance advantage of one chipset over another by integrating the memory controller. This leaves the 3rd party chipset developers to fight it out with each over what are essentially south bridges. This helps bring down overall system prices for AMD machines and you really won't go wrong performance-wise getting a VIA chipset, for example, rather than an Nvidia chipset.

On the Intel side, few of the 3rd party chipsets offer the same performance as Intel's offerings and most probably have less quality control, or at least less perception of quality in the marketplace.
Agreed.

 

bobdelt

Senior member
May 26, 2006
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Why don't we wait til Conroe and most of the Conroe boards are released until we judge how much they cost? Ive seens 965 boards for like 160. Give it a few weeks and I'm sure the price will drop to 100 or below and ATI is also producing an intel chipset.
 

coldpower27

Golden Member
Jul 18, 2004
1,676
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If all your looking are the 975X motherboard is no surprise they have a enormous premium, they are after all the flagship boards.

Wait till motherboards based on P965 Chipset arrives.
 

Duvie

Elite Member
Feb 5, 2001
16,215
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Originally posted by: bobdelt
Why don't we wait til Conroe and most of the Conroe boards are released until we judge how much they cost? Ive seens 965 boards for like 160. Give it a few weeks and I'm sure the price will drop to 100 or below and ATI is also producing an intel chipset.



link me where you have even seen pricing on any....i am interested....
 

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
22,191
6,418
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After reading this, the never ending "AMD will buy ATI" rumors start to look like a sound idea. I think AMD would be wise to produce a chipset and motherboards for their CPU's. I don't think they would want to go after the enthusiast market, but it could be a real leg up in the business world. They want rock solid platforms, not performance, and AMD could offer it to them in the form of "Built by AMD" boards.
Or I could just be blowing smoke out my ass...
 

Conky

Lifer
May 9, 2001
10,709
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Intel branded motherboards are always pricey, especially when first released.

I'm sure the cheap motherboards are coming soon... MSI, Epox, Abit, Gigbyte, and the rest will lose a ton of money if they don't get a Conroe-capable board to market very very soon. I'm counting on it as I am not paying $260 for a motherboard when sub-$100 boards will be out soon enough.

I'll wait for a Fry's $400 E6600/mobo combo deal. :p

My days of paying top dollar for brand new computer parts are gone. A little patience in the computer game will put a lot of cash in your pocket. ;)