NVIDIA halting chipset development after all

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/08/nvidia-halting-chipset-development-after-all/

It's been about two months since NVIDIA called rumors that it was leaving the chipset business "groundless," so perhaps it's no big shock that PC Magazine is now reporting that the company is putting its nForce chipset line "on hiatus." On hiatus, that is, until the company gets a few sticky legal questions out of the way, including whether or not its four-year deal with Intel covers Core i7 processors. Thus we have the delicate line that NVIDIA walks with Intel: for the time being, the two companies need each other, but they don't have to like each other, and as the latter continues to pursue graphics integration with the CPU, manufacturers are going to be increasingly pushed towards all-Intel solutions. All this leads us to wonder if NVIDIA might decide chipsets in general are more trouble than they're worth, especially considering Intel's general attitude about them -- and whether ION might be the next on the block.

Update: We've just received an email from NVIDIA's Ken Brown that sheds a little light on the matter. It reads, in part: "[B]ecause of Intel's improper claims to customers and the market that we aren't licensed to the new DMI bus and its unfair business tactics, it is effectively impossible for us to market chipsets for future CPUs. So, until we resolve this matter in court next year, we'll postpone further chipset investments for Intel DMI CPUs." Fair enough. Peep it for yourself after the break.

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NVIDIA halting chipset development after all originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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