This article is more than 1 year old

When will Nvidia's nForce support Intel chips?

'We have nothing to announce'

Computex It doesn't look like we'll see Nvidia's nForce integrated graphics chipset supporting Intel processors anytime soon.

When quizzed about Nvidia's plans for Intel, during the Q&A session at the nForce launch at Computex in Taiwan, Tony Tamasi, director of product management, said: "We've got nothing to announce."

The reason? "Nvidia does not have an Intel front side bus licence," said Tamasi.

Can it get one? After all, it's technically possible for the nForce to support Intel technology because that's what's in the Microsoft Xbox. Microsoft presumably has a front side bus licence or equivalent.

"We'd love to be able to provide nForce to the whole market," said Tamasi who admitted Intel and Nvidia had had a few discussions about this, but didn't look too upset about the current situation.

Does Intel not want integrated graphics chipset competition with its own processors? Tamasi points out that Intel has allowed other companies to go ahead, but we'd guess that in this case Intel has decided to make the licence price a little steep.

Nvidia is unconcerned that the arrival of the nForce will cannibalise sales of its add-in graphics card business. Tamasi thinks the integrated processor will take the company into new markets with a potential to grow Nvidia's total sales threefold. If the nForce does grab sales from Nvidia's other lines, but sales are up 200 per cent, Tamasi's will be happy. "But its going to be a long time before we have that problem," he says. ®

Related Story

Nvidia's nForce chipset unwrapped

More about

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like