AMD upsets partners with Asus 4x4 exclusivity

[TabrisDarkPeace]

Quoted from:
http://www.chipgeek.com/news/geeknews/2006Nov/bch20061121040737.htm

================================================

AMD upsets partners with Asus 4x4 exclusivity

How far can/do you push a loving relationship between corporate partners? posted 1:24pm EST Tue Nov 21 2006 - submitted by RickGeek

BLURB
Some of AMD's motherboard partners are miffed, and, according to The Inquirer, one of them has even gone so far as to claim that AMD has been "acting like Intel," vowing, "We won't help them in future."

I'm not sure what kind of deals have been happening behind closed corporate doors, but this kind of sentiment does not seem to be something AMD can afford, as its entire success to date has been built around its many partnerships and cooperative efforts.

The same manager who made the claim above is also saying that AMD's "QuadFather" (their 4x4 platform) will not beat Intel's Kentsfield in performance, and that his opinion is echoed in others.

This is an interesting (and exclusive) article being written about AMD at The Inquirer. We've heard some rumors going around about product shuffling to meet big partner demands (namely Dell, but also some others), thereby causing distress at AMD's smaller partners. If true, AMD could be emerging from the "Can you help us out?" mindset into the "We're big enough now that we can afford to burn a few smaller bridges" mindset. If true, that could change some perspectives about AMD's ethics in the marketplace.

Read more at The Inquirer, and post your thoughts below.

================================================

Is there any truth to this ?
Caught me off-guard and normally I am pretty on top of issues like this.

 

[dlmacline]

Actually I think this is probably a good strategy.. I guess

Well if 4x4 crashes and is not that successful then it would not do that much damage and they could pull them out easier and faster thus avoiding further major reputation damage on them

But if 4x4 becomes a hit and successful then they can already start having others MSI develop motherboards for it as well

4x4 is a gamble, Most people aren't that used to have 2 processor 4 GPU computers as a desktop. They are going to try to introduce a new idea on the global market, a new trend. It wouldn't be easy like when the world first saw dual core. So they should be pretty careful on marketing it

 

[dasickninja]

The Inq? Speaking ill of AMD? This must be gospel.

 

[TabrisDarkPeace]

ROFL @ ^ post.

I used to run 2 x dual-core Opteron 270 system.
It was basically what 4x4 is today, but 2 years ago at 2/3rd the clock speed (2.0 GHz per core vs 3.0 GHz).

4 GB RAM, ccNUMA (Aggregates 2 x dual-channel memory controllers to act as one for 12.8 GB/sec throughput, with DDR2-667/800 it would be much higher).

If they sell the boards and CPUs cheap enough, then it could take off.

Every board Asus made after the Asus A7V-133-[C] sucked though, it was their last 'good' board IMHO. Ever since I've been using Tyan, Gigabyte and MSI (believe it or not), and a few others.

Asus are all about advertising, and Gigabyte have their 'quad-BIOS' feature on the DQ6 which trumps everyone else IMHO, and a better BIOS overall, nicer look, feels more durable, etc than Asus. (Bar maybe Universal Abit and DFI).

Frankly I think the whole 4x4 was a waste of time, resources & money on AMDs front. Asus are not the company to get into bed with. Gigabyte perhaps (and yes I am aware Asus + Gigabyte share manufacturing facilities).


Half the reason for the poll was because it was from TheINQ (or TheREG) - Either one I don't trust their 12yo sources.


Personally, if 4x4 fails and takes Asus with it, so Gigabyte get exclusive manufacturing and hire any of Asus's 'good' staff, I am all for it. If, and only if, Asus take the fall for the failure (when it fails, not if it does).

Then AMD + Gigabyte can skip into the setting sun (They can propose stuff to Google perhaps, as Google have used Gigabyte workstation & server mainboards in the past - yes Gigabyte make server boards, and they are also of better general quality than the 'Asus' not-quite but almost a server board category - ).

 

[Synthetickiller]

I wonder why Tyan hasn't been mentioned.

The only socket 1207 (socket F) mobo's that exist now (not talking 4x4) are produced by Tyan and Asus (correct me if I'm wrong, that's all I've seen).

From my experience, Tyan builds a MUCH better board.

Although they ONLY build server boards, there's not much of a difference other than having more ram slots and supporting opterons and no athlons. PCI-e and PCI-x are standards across the board.

One thing that puzzles me is the amount of ram allocated to each CPU. Why only 2 slots per CPU? I know XP can only support 2 gigs i think, but vist can support more, plus doesn't the 4x4 have server applications?

I'll probably go back to intel after not owning an intel CPU since Pentium II. AMD just does strange things these days.

 

[1Tanker]

I wonder why Tyan hasn't been mentioned.

The only socket 1207 (socket F) mobo's that exist now (not talking 4x4) are produced by Tyan and Asus (correct me if I'm wrong, that's all I've seen).

From my experience, Tyan builds a MUCH better board.

Although they ONLY build server boards, there's not much of a difference other than having more ram slots and supporting opterons and no athlons. PCI-e and PCI-x are standards across the board.

One thing that puzzles me is the amount of ram allocated to each CPU. Why only 2 slots per CPU? I know XP can only support 2 gigs i think, but vist can support more, plus doesn't the 4x4 have server applications?

I'll probably go back to intel after not owning an intel CPU since Pentium II. AMD just does strange things these days.

Supermicro makes some nice 2P/Server boards, but their stuff is ridiculously expensive.

Edit: Looks like they're all Intel though.

 

[TabrisDarkPeace]

Windows XP Home/Pro can map 2.75 to 3.50 GB to memory, the rest is used for accelerated PCI I/O mapping to devices. (This is pretty much regardless of board, all 32-bit OS have this issue too).

With Windows XP x64 you can address much more than will fit in 4 x DIMM slots.

Asus don't make server boards, they just think they do.

www.tyan.com
www.tyanpsc.com

 

[orsino]

The same manager who made the claim above is also saying that AMD's "QuadFather" (their 4x4 platform) will not beat Intel's Kentsfield in performance, and that his opinion is echoed in others.

If this is true, (and given the Inq source I'm more likely to believe Michael Richards when he exclaims Happy Kwanzaa) then this is going to be a very serious debacle for AMD that could significantly damage its reputation in the enthusiast market. I certainly hope not as the Intel/AMD competition has been fueling the processor performance and price wars we have all been benefiting from!

 

[TabrisDarkPeace]

Well 57% of people so far think it isn't true.

It wouldn't surprise me, but of all the partners AMD could pick.... 8O

 

[spud]

Windows XP Home/Pro can map 2.75 to 3.50 GB to memory, the rest is used for accelerated PCI I/O mapping to devices. (This is pretty much regardless of board, all 32-bit OS have this issue too).

With Windows XP x64 you can address much more than will fit in 4 x DIMM slots.

Asus don't make server boards, they just think they do.

www.tyan.com
www.tyanpsc.com

Word, Playa.

 

[dasickninja]

Since 4x4 will be a "gaming" platform, (no one argue with me on that. AMD themselves said that its aimed at gamers) the only thing I want to see is how it stacks up against first the Core 2 Duo, and then the Quadro. As a gamer, if it only slightly edges out either or is equal to both, then its a flop to me. Its a entire set of new hardware that I have to purchase.

Drop in > total replacement.

 

[dasickninja]

Its a great idea to work with. If you don't have a quad core solution, just use a DP. Essentially the same as Intel's Kentsfield (yes fanboys, AMD's not adverse to using glue either). the only problem is that its all new stuff that has to be purchased. Any one with a good LGA775 P965 or 975 motherboard can go quad.

You've got quite a list of things to get to go quad with AMD. I suspect that when AMD rolls out its own quad chips it'll work better if there is a base of users. Getting them is the problem.

But meh, what do I know. Now about that babe of the week....