Tuesday, May 19th 2009
NVIDIA Accuses Intel of Anti-Competitive Pricing for Atom Processor
Intel was recently awarded a fine of over a billion Euros by the EU for anti-competitive malpractices in the EU. Speaking at Reuters Technology Summit, NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang accused Intel of anti-competitive pricing for the Intel Atom processor, although made it clear that NVIDIA won't be pressing charges any time soon.
According to NVIDIA, Intel sells an Atom processor typically for US $45 a piece, while in a bundle with Intel's own chipset consisting of an i945-class northbridge and ICH7-class southbridge for just $25, that's $25 for the processor and Intel chipset. This is driving away motherboard manufacturers from opting for Intel Atom paired with NVIDIA's single-package Ion chipset, which NVIDIA claims, (and reviews have shown,) to offer superior performance and features at almost half the board footprint. "That seems pretty unfair," Huang said. "We ought to be able to compete and serve that market."
Intel was quick to dismiss Huang's accusation. "We compete fairly. We do not force bundles on any computer makers and customers can purchase Atom individually or as part of the bundle," said Bill Calder, a spokesperson for Intel. "If you want to purchase the chip set, obviously there is better pricing." NVIDIA made it clear it doesn't have any immediate plans to lock onto Intel in (yet) another anti-competition case. "I hope it doesn't come down to that," Huang said. "We have to do whatever we have to do when the time comes. We really hope this company [Intel] will compete on a fair basis," he added.
Source:
Reuters
According to NVIDIA, Intel sells an Atom processor typically for US $45 a piece, while in a bundle with Intel's own chipset consisting of an i945-class northbridge and ICH7-class southbridge for just $25, that's $25 for the processor and Intel chipset. This is driving away motherboard manufacturers from opting for Intel Atom paired with NVIDIA's single-package Ion chipset, which NVIDIA claims, (and reviews have shown,) to offer superior performance and features at almost half the board footprint. "That seems pretty unfair," Huang said. "We ought to be able to compete and serve that market."
Intel was quick to dismiss Huang's accusation. "We compete fairly. We do not force bundles on any computer makers and customers can purchase Atom individually or as part of the bundle," said Bill Calder, a spokesperson for Intel. "If you want to purchase the chip set, obviously there is better pricing." NVIDIA made it clear it doesn't have any immediate plans to lock onto Intel in (yet) another anti-competition case. "I hope it doesn't come down to that," Huang said. "We have to do whatever we have to do when the time comes. We really hope this company [Intel] will compete on a fair basis," he added.
92 Comments on NVIDIA Accuses Intel of Anti-Competitive Pricing for Atom Processor
Just because you realize you can't win and thus don't fight doesn't make you a pushover.
And as far as Nvidia suing -- that could still be yet to come. Oddly enough, I could end up in the odd position of defending Nvidia here in this forum. :laugh:
With PINETRAIL, Intel will do away with the "northbridge" and bring it on die just like i5. No more FSB. ie. ION has nothing to connect to.
Sneaky b4st4rds.
Intel is trying very hard to squeeze nV out of the market entirely; with Larabee and Tera-Scale trying to take out CUDA, and PineTrail to take out ION, and i5 to take out nV chipsets in the consumer segment.
Today I started to think: Hunh... I can see AMD and Nvidia team up in the future.
(What they call it now, when there is no northbridge, is ...?)
Retail you get a fancy box, the processor, and a three year limited warranty.
OEM, you get an anti-static bag, processor, chipset, and 30-day limited warranty.
If I were an OEM, I'd be buying the OEM package for $25 and putting in whatever chipset has the features I want to offer. Heh, NVIDIA should start a buy-back program buying up unused (really involves just covering shipping costs), bundled chipsets and sell them back to Intel for a profit so Intel can rebundle them with new processors. Intel would get the message sooner or later. ;)
do you think someone would have an issue with that? you just spent your development money making me shirts and i went and said hey f*** you your shirt means i can't sell my shitty ones so i'm going to cut you out of the business. that is anti competition and intel should have to answer to that.