- Joined
- Dec 16, 2007
- Location
- Chicago, IL
Several rumors are floating around with respect to NVIDIA's plans and options with respect to the upcoming Nehalem platform.
There are at least the following rumors circulating at the present time...
http://bp3.blogger.com/_kttUtY0Z_zw/SHrzAP_P-KI/AAAAAAAAAX0/INB1znElg9E/s1600-h/bloomfield-nf200.gif
Observations:
What's perhaps most interesting is that NVIDIA may support SLI on Intel boards with the NF200 PCIe bridge/switch for either Bloomfield, Lynnfield, or both and never actually develop a chipset for this architecture. This may be a very good thing for all concerned. While NVIDIA makes excellent graphic cards, their chipsets on Intel platforms have always been riddled with issues. Gaming or 3D benching enthusiasts who want both SLI and the stability or reduced hassle of an Intel chipset may actually be getting what they want.
NVIDIA will still make decent money from "enabling" SLI motherboards as they are rumored to be pricing the NF200 chips at a lofty $30 price point. Keep in mind that a full-fledged chipset will command around $50. So from the NVIDIA accountant's point of view, this looks very attractive... nearly $30 of pure margin from a very simple chip and no R&D costs associated with developing a new chipset.
Intel should also be happy as they won't be competing againts NVIDIA for the enthusiast chipset market and any Intel platform can effectively be enabled with SLI by the motherboard manufacturer simply by designing a variation of their board that includes the NF200 chip.
If these rumors end up being true, it looks to be a Win-Win-Win!
Source - http://www.nehalemnews.com/
There are at least the following rumors circulating at the present time...
- NVIDIA will enable SLI on X58/Bloomfield boards by the addition of a BR-04 (NF200) PCIe switch/bridge chip.
- NVIDIA has chosen to focus on Lynnfield and ignore Bloomfield.
- NVIDIA has a Quickpath license thus enabling it to build a direct competitor to the X58/Tylersburg chipset (although it may choose not to use this as per the above two points).
http://bp3.blogger.com/_kttUtY0Z_zw/SHrzAP_P-KI/AAAAAAAAAX0/INB1znElg9E/s1600-h/bloomfield-nf200.gif
Observations:
What's perhaps most interesting is that NVIDIA may support SLI on Intel boards with the NF200 PCIe bridge/switch for either Bloomfield, Lynnfield, or both and never actually develop a chipset for this architecture. This may be a very good thing for all concerned. While NVIDIA makes excellent graphic cards, their chipsets on Intel platforms have always been riddled with issues. Gaming or 3D benching enthusiasts who want both SLI and the stability or reduced hassle of an Intel chipset may actually be getting what they want.
NVIDIA will still make decent money from "enabling" SLI motherboards as they are rumored to be pricing the NF200 chips at a lofty $30 price point. Keep in mind that a full-fledged chipset will command around $50. So from the NVIDIA accountant's point of view, this looks very attractive... nearly $30 of pure margin from a very simple chip and no R&D costs associated with developing a new chipset.
Intel should also be happy as they won't be competing againts NVIDIA for the enthusiast chipset market and any Intel platform can effectively be enabled with SLI by the motherboard manufacturer simply by designing a variation of their board that includes the NF200 chip.
If these rumors end up being true, it looks to be a Win-Win-Win!
Source - http://www.nehalemnews.com/