Intel: Crossfire for Conroe, still a go!

[TheMaster]

Despite what the inquirer says, :roll:
it seems that ATI will still be going ahead with the launch.

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=3494

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Here's the reply I got this morning from ATi (but just thought to look now due to this thread), about their mobile solutions;

"Thanks for the note. Our merger with AMD is meant to open doors for both companies while at the same time giving our customers more choice. Our graphics products are currently being used almost exclusively by Intel to demonstrate their new Conroe and Merom processors. Our notebook partners make the choice of what combinations they offer and given our continued dominance of the discrete notebook market (70% of high-end notebooks ship with ATI graphics), there is every reason to believe the combination you mentioned will be available."

While 'every reason to believe..' isn't as strong as I'd like, it's better than I could've hoped for. I kinda expected the 'we don't discuss future plans' response, but this means I may be able to sneak in my purchase before licensing agreements change. :mrgreen:

 

[Panther_V]

Yeah for now but what about end of this year .

 

[prozac26]

Just because AMD bought out ATI, it doesn't mean AMD will only work with ATI. Things will stay the way they are now.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

To some extent, but do you really think Intel's going to give much business to ATi beyond these current license agreements.

It would be like playing ford a premium to build GM cars, which they can turn around and us against GM competatively.

There may be a legal understanding for now that they will be given the chance to clear the channel and prepare for change, but I wouldn't be surprised if by this time next year ATi no longer makes chips for Intel MoBos, which was their chipset bread and butter really.

 

[prozac26]

To some extent, but do you really think Intel's going to give much business to ATi beyond these current license agreements.

It depends.

 

[bmouring]

To some extent, but do you really think Intel's going to give much business to ATi beyond these current license agreements.

It depends.

Indeed, if it means they can keep their high-end enthusiasts (you know, the ones who buy "the good stuff TM") who also happen to be diehard ATI fans, it's a win for them even if it helps out AMD/ATI.

 

[Ycon]

Uh huh, thats why Apple kicked ATi out of their products and so will others.

Only Dells future is unclear, they have to kick ATi but they also have to use ATi =) What are they gonna do?

 

[kukito]

There may be a legal understanding for now that they will be given the chance to clear the channel and prepare for change, but I wouldn't be surprised if by this time next year ATi no longer makes chips for Intel MoBos, which was their chipset bread and butter really.

From a strictly business perspective, it would be foolish for ATI to give up its support for Intel CPUs. AMD can fund its aquisition with monies derived from Intel business. What better way to stick it to Intel? After the debt is paid off then they might stop development efforts, but only if it makes business sense.

When the merger became official I thought I'd stay away from ATI products, since I'm commited to Core for my next build. I changed my mind. I will consider the ATI chipsets. I want AMD to succeed because the prospect of Intel being the sole producer of x86 CPUs is frightening. The only thing that turns me off about AMD are the deceitful fanboys.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

From a strictly business perspective, it would be foolish for ATI to give up its support for Intel CPUs.

I'm not sure why it's hard to understand, but I'm not talking about ATi abandoning Intel MoBos, they'll make them because they know that if they don't someone else will just make that profit. But what I'm saying is Intel may not give them a license to the new chipsets/cpus, and for Intel, they don't need ATi when they have not only their own solution, but a very competent nV who's finally making quality mobile parts since the GFGO6800 era. And that's where the break would come from. AMD would love for ATi to keep making these chipset and graphics for Intel MoBos because it means that even if people go to what looks to be the laptop winner for some time to come, they can makes some profit ff those otherwise lost sales. Which is the very reason why I doubt ATi will get future licenses.

AMD can fund its aquisition with monies derived from Intel business. What better way to stick it to Intel?

And the exact reason I'm saying Intel will likely not renew licenses beyond their current compliment which appears to extend to the Napa platform, but likely not SantaRosa.

After the debt is paid off then they might stop development efforts, but only if it makes business sense.

For sure from AMD/ATi's perspective there's no reason not to do this unless they became more than even just the dominant graphics solution, but powerful enough that their withdrawl would allow them to severly hamper Intel's sales versus AMD. That's nowhere near the case now, and that's exactl why I'd say Intel will not give them anymore beyond what they currently own. Why give them that potential to become so influential, giving the work to someone like nV helps them develop their solutions, and helps them avoid any such situation.

When the merger became official I thought I'd stay away from ATI products, since I'm commited to Core for my next build. I changed my mind. I will consider the ATI chipsets. I want AMD to succeed because the prospect of Intel being the sole producer of x86 CPUs is frightening.

True, but there is more than just AMD & Intel, and it's unlikely that AMD will fold up CPU business because of this, probably just scale back like VIA in a worst case scenario.

The only thing that turns me off about AMD are the deceitful fanboys.

Well that's bad fo any product. It's ok to be somewhat of a booster if you like some soltions, but fanboism sucks, and often gets knee-jerk reactions of similar ilk.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Actually that is kinda what is happening in a sense. Ford and Gm are working together to produce a 6-speed auto transmission. :lol:

Not really, but I understand your point.

There's little that compares directly, since really Ford & GM are now more focused on foreign competition so centralizing R&D and production in the US is a symbiotic relationship, whereas Intel & ATi would be one where there are no other worthy competitors in the CPU market.

But there could be some level of partnership depending on who AMD organizes this merger/acquisition. But I still think if you have the option you go with someone who isn't competing with you, like nV or SIS. Even working with S3/VIA would be competatively better because VIA's products or production capabilities, aren't as much of a threat.

Intel would be wise to keep all doors open, but I have a feeling that they'd only renew contracts if they think there's a significant competative advantage to ATi over nV, which there isn't now. This may change with the R600vG80 mobile solutions, but I doubt that too.

If Intel didn't already have a strong VIIV program working, and a capable GMA965 in the wings, then I'd say there might be a need for ATi's video expertise, but I think Intel's got that covered themselves.