WIFI Integrated on CPU

[piasabird]

Just watched a WIFI + CPU video from Carey Holzmen Tech Tips video.

Intel Has plans for CPU with integrated WIFI on future INTEL CPU's. Dont know if this would be good or bad or what CPU's it might be available on.

 

[piasabird]

So do you think this will Decrease sales of network adapters for WIFI? This might be more targeted for smaller integrated systems like TV boxes etc or computers used to play internet videos for the home user. Lots of the time an apartment may only be accessible using WIFI.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Curious that Intel would be going in such a direction after they dumped their modem business. Intel knows how to make a decent NIC, regardless, but I haven't used any of their wireless adapters in the past.

The way I see it, it would help OEMs reduce BoM on x86 machines that regularly ship with wifi - namely, laptops. So that would be their target market. Not sure how many set top boxes use Intel products, but it could be a factor there as well.

The losers here would be whoever supplyies the rinky-dink little wifi NICs like Realtek, etc. Pretty sure mobile-class devices won't be affected by this development at all. They aren't going to switch to Intel for anything, regardless.

 

[IntelUser2000]

Curious that Intel would be going in such a direction after they dumped their modem business. Intel knows how to make a decent NIC, regardless, but I haven't used any of their wireless adapters in the past.

Their WiFi adapters are actually top notch. The drivers are supported for a long time and are very stable.

The way I see it, it would help OEMs reduce BoM on x86 machines that regularly ship with wifi - namely, laptops.

This video guy doesn't know what he's talking about. "Next Intel CPU" meaning Icelake.

However, Icelake has CNVi WiFi. The CNVi is the partially integrated WiFi where the MAC is in the chipset(not the CPU) and the rest in the separate adapter.

CNVi WiFi isn't new however. It debuted back with 300-series chipsets back in in spring of last year. CNVi is also in the Goldmont Plus SoCs used in the Gemini Lake platforms.

So do you think this will Decrease sales of network adapters for WIFI?

Yes, but they also sell non CNVi WiFi. The Wireless AC without CNVi is called Wireless-AC 9260, and the one with, Wireless-AC 9560.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Their WiFi adapters are actually top notch. The drivers are supported for a long time and are very stable.

Pretty sure it's easy to drive Intel wifi adapters in Linux as well, from what I've read (never used em, so personal experience = 0). Getting wifi to work properly and at top speed in Linux is often quite difficult.

CNVi WiFi isn't new however. It debuted back with 300-series chipsets back in in spring of last year. CNVi is also in the Goldmont Plus SoCs used in the Gemini Lake platforms.

It's still an Intel solution from top to bottom which a). lowers BoM for the OEM and b). cuts out third party business. Honestly I didn't know about CNVi before this post though, so that is educational.

Yes, but they also sell non CNVi WiFi. The Wireless AC without CNVi is called Wireless-AC 9260, and the one with, Wireless-AC 9560.

Actually, that was @piasabird you're replying to there.

 

[Ichinisan]

The Octium IV had a "tiny little modem in it."

 

[DrMrLordX]

The Octium IV had a "tiny little modem in it."

They've compromised my cookies!!!!

 

[IntelUser2000]

Actually, that was @piasabird you're replying to there.

Yep, I know. Don't mind me when I do this. I don't want to post multiple times in a row so I just put them in one post. I should get into habit putting people's names in them though. Heh.

 

[extide]

Yeah it's basically not much different from CNVi except the MAC is on the CPU die instead of the chipset. You will always need an external PHY though.

 

[IntelUser2000]

Yeah it's basically not much different from CNVi except the MAC is on the CPU die instead of the chipset. You will always need an external PHY though.

If you are referring to Icelake, the situation hasn't changed. CNVi is still in the chipset. They just moved to WiFi 6, that's it.

 

[extide]

Ah, aren't they moving it on die in the future though, thought I heard that somewhere.

 

[IntelUser2000]

Ah, aren't they moving it on die in the future though, thought I heard that somewhere.

They'll probably move to on-die in the chipset, because they've yet to integrate the chipset with the CPU.

I guess you can call it as being on the CPU, because the U and Y parts have the CPU and the chipset on the same package. The most integrated are the Atom-class products like the Gemini Lake platform.