Sep. 17, 1999 (Electronic Buyers News - CMP via COMTEX) -- Some of
Intel Corp's new Camino 820 and new 810e chipsets to be unveiled next
week will support PC133 SDRAMs-not by Intel, but secretly by some
Taiwanese motherboard manufacturers.
The microprocessor giant has dropped its opposition to PC133 memory,
but won't have a chipset ready to support the higher-speed SDRAMs until
sometime in the first half of 2000. Rival Taiwanese chipset companies
Acer Laboratories Inc. and Via Technologies Inc. will have their own
PC133 versions on the market this fall, far ahead of Intel.
But some motherboard vendors hope to use a 133-MHz memory bus they
developed to connect PC133 modules to the Intel Camino 820 and 810e
chipsets. However, to avoid unduly angering the MPU kingpin, they won't
publicize their PC133 link to the Intel chipsets. After all, they are
beholden to Intel for ready supply of the new devices, as well as
advance technical details of upcoming versions.
Yet PC OEMs know where to go if they want boards with Intel chipsets
connected to PC133 memory. Intel knows the ploy as well, but can't play
the heavy overtly without stirring up antitrust concerns yet again.
Taiwanese motherboard companies will also have the fully authorized
Camino 820 direct Rambus DRAM version, or the hybrid board with Intel's
Memory Translator Hub (MTH) supporting either Direct RDRAM or SDRAMs.
The board makers are ready to sell whatever the market wants,
regardless of Intel's game plan.
They're sure Intel could have introduced its new chipsets supporting
PC133 from the start had the microprocessor behemoth so desired. Their
suspicion is that Intel is still dragging its feet in its move to PC133
to give its favored Direct Rambus memory more time to lower price and
ramp up production. Direct RDRAM could then emerge as a contender
before the alternative SDRAM gets the big boost from Intel's belated
support.
Many board makers are also taking a low profile on supplying versions
for the K7 Athlon processor from Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Intel's
archrival. There doesn't have to be any pressure from Intel. Vendors
here don't want to upset the apple cart, so many are keeping their AMD
Athlon product lines a low-key venture.
Board makers intend to move fast as soon as Intel introduces its
810A3 chipset-an integrated graphics-core logic version that will
support Pentium III processors as well as Celeron MPVs. Following the
Intel roadmap, the 810A3 will only support up to PC100 SDRAMs.
Taiwanese rivals aim to fill the vacuum once again by offering PC133
solutions.
So Taiwan's love-hate relationship with Intel continues. PC133 only
intensifies the division.
|
