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To: John Rieman who wrote (34502)	7/20/1998 2:06:00 PM
From: BillyG	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50808

Intel pushes graphics integration, raises antitrust concerns By Mark Carroll and By Rick Boyd-Merritt TAIPEI, Taiwan - Intel Corp. this week will ship PC makers technical details of a long-awaited chip set that marks a shift in direction for both PC graphics and sub-$1,000-system design. The so-called Whitney chip set could also mark a renewed move by the microprocessor giant toward integrated processors, as well as raise new concerns about Intel's extending an alleged monopoly in PC processors into the realm of graphics. At least two core-logic makers here are following Intel in its march into integrated silicon, though they might face difficulties gaining a license to Intel's Pentium II processor bus. But some Taiwanese systems manufacturers are balking at a move to integrated parts that could lock them into designs with potentially substandard graphics performance. Analysts said Intel's Whitney, about which significant technical details are already emerging here, represents a high-risk but inevitable move to addressplummeting PC prices for both consumer and business systems. And they believe the products ultimately will have a profound impact on desktop silicon. "Will this restructure the market? In 1999, no; in 2000 and beyond, you bet," said John Latta, principal at graphics-market watcher Fourth Wave (Alexandria, Va.). "This is likely to be the end of low-end graphics in economy PCs with Intel processors," said Michael Slater, editorial director of the Microprocessor Report, taking a more measured assessment. "But a large portion of the economy PC market does not use Intel processors." Nevertheless, Whitney marks Intel's return to integrated processors. The company has not dabbled in such parts since it pulled the plug on its notebook-oriented 386SL and 486SL after system makers found them too expensive and inflexible. "It's the inevitable progression of the technology that Whitney and Mendocino [Intel's upcoming low-end processor] will merge into one," Slater added. "To get high-performance systems at aggressively lower costs, you have to provide more integration," acknowledged Fourth Wave's Latta. "But it's a highly risky strategy until there is a stable 3-D API, chip architecture and memory interfaces. "The biggest downside is in cost and performance. Integrated 3-D may not be fast enough to compete with the latest adapter-card solution." Antitrust concerns Beyond performance issues, the move into integrated core logic and graphics will inevitably raise new antitrust questions about Intel on two fronts. Intel has a small share in 3-D graphics based on its i740 accelerator but a substantial one in chip sets and CPUs. What's more, the company has been slow to license rights to use its P6-class Pentium II bus-and competitors require that access to make their own core logic. "The [antitrust] question certainly will be raised," said Slater. "I don't think it's viable for the government to dictate integration strategies, but open interfaces are something the government could require. Intel might decide to move in that direction before the government requires it." Preliminary information sheets from Intel show that Whitney will integrate the i740 graphics engine with the Pentium II north bridge 100-MHz core-logic chip. The chip set is to be used with Intel's Mendocino CPU, which is a 330-MHz Celeron with 128 kbytes of L2 cache on chip. More............. eet.com