Intel Strategy Shuts Out PC Enthusiasts

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I'm probably going to upgrade very soon anyway, either to an Ivy Bridge i7 or more likely a top of the line Haswell CPU early next year. Considering my upgrades are about 4-5 years apart I won't have to worry about this nonsense till such a time as this silly approach has been seen to suck and rolled back.

Saying that, this is exactly the sort of thing companies like Dell and HP will be all for. A single board that contains everything except the RAM? They'll be all up in it.

 

[Korzack]

Mmh, Well that sucks, as another one who sticks with an old-fashioned tower PC because that does everything I want it to (Thus, ironically, negating the need to pick up a shiny new smart-phone or tablet that does... Well, everything my PC does, but far, Far worse), but can't blame them for following where the money is. The way fashions have gone have tried their damnedest to kill off the old tower PC for years anyway - the current console generation takes care of the gaming side, and for everything else, you've got the hyper-advanced Etch-a-sketch that's called a tablet or a smart-phone (Or E-readers which seem to quickly fill the half-way-house between them)
And also, hasn't "Build everything ourselves + then ship it" essentially been IBM's strategy since time immemorial? Amazed they haven't tried to cash in on this trend...

 

[Darkness665]

Interesting concept. However, I think Semi-accurate is mostly Semi in this case.

I would suspect that Intel is moving a market segment or creating a market segment for this case. Broadwell is the 14nm part they are talking about. It is well known that Intel is starting to bet big on SoC, System on a chip. These require being soldered on. The markets that SoCs inhabit do not normally have the space for sockets and massive heat sink attachments. But in under two years they will have room for a 2+GHz multi-core CPU (got that) with embedded memory controller (got that), GPU (got that) and the North Bridge (got that) and then what little else is required to get the unit functional. Intel wins, they sell virtually the entire silicon and by adding their own Infineon IP they now have a phone/tablet SoC that is kick ass solution for ultra-ultra laptops, tablets and their holy grail a smart phone. I seriously doubt the smart phone will win but a tablet and the others seem very likely.

Expect to hear from Intel, at some undisclosed time in the future, about the new super-ultra-tablet-notebook-laptop-premium market that just happens to use a 14nm part with 1/3 the power draw (or less) of the current 65w Ivy Bridge and it will idle under 1 watt. Then add SoC concept into the mix and then it might make more sense. As the tablet and smart phone market it taking a lot of extra computer functionality for people on the go or just in the other room then buying yet another PC is making less sense.

The absolute funniest solution to my way of thinking is would apple want this? You bet. Some of the Silicon Industry pundits have speculated that apple should have Intel fab their parts and just dump Samsung altogether for their core IP. This would be an ideal way to have that happen. And you heard it first, on the Escapist.

 

[Darkness665]

So Intel is going to give the PC market back to IBM?

IBM is out of that market and isn't never going back. No profit margins.

 

[Easton Dark]

I don't know about you guys, but my processor is already locked to my motherboard with screws, the heat sinks, and the fan that I'm afraid to remove it. And why would I want to?

Mine is held in place with a latch for zero force.

The fan has these twist-able pin things that pop into place.

Now... why would PC builders want less options? I agree this is by no means alarming, all it means is the business would go to AMD, but how would this be good?

 

[Denamic]

Competition.

If Intel is really going to solder all their chips into their own motherboards in the future, the competition will no doubt swoop in and take over that part of the market. If not, zero shits are given.

The future of PC gaming isn't threatened, let alone dead.

 

[Darkness665]

AMD's 20% will grow among those who care about controlling every part of their system, if Intel puts the squeeze on as described above. What percentage of the total market those people comprise is another question. I have to suspect it's small enough that Intel is willing to let them go in order to get a larger return on the business and casual consumer markets. If the tablet invasion has shown us anything, it's that people will buy whatever hardware happens to be inside a device, as long as it has a slick feature list and good marketing.

Except AMD is moving away from this market as well. They are moving into ARM and mobile. The current board and CEO are not silicon technology people. They want to be in a market that is expanding and the chip industry is watching the PC market be flat to shrinking while the mobile market is skyrocketing.

The AMD you knew and love doesn't exist anymore. They have no fabs, they are dependent on others developing processes to compete with Intel, the have bet most of their own PC efforts into the weakly received APU and now they are expanding into ARM server parts probably mixed with Opteron either on the same chip or tightly coupled. The only PC initiative they have exhibited recently has been to provide a middling copy of Intel's middling copy of apple's MacBook Air, the poorly received and over priced ultra-books. If people want to pay that amount of money for that level of hardware then they will by the Air. Not a copy that doesn't have the high level of integration that apple provides. Ooh, Windows 8 is just a natural for the market.

 

[viranimus]

Well if true... its not something I personally look forward to. I like having the freedom to select the type of mobo/processor combo I want to work with. All I can see this accomplishing is create less variety overall.

This also sort of guts the "spare build" arena where you can frankencomp old working components from broken systems together.

If either part goes out... your replacing both regardless if the other works or not.

Hypothetically it does make system building slightly more accessible and god knows ever build I ever did, the greatest fear was ALWAYS connecting the processor to the MOBO for the first time, but really to take it out of our hands? And for what? market dominance? Yeah, no thank you. I loathe AMD... but this will likely force me to look past that

 

[Russian_Assassin]

I guess it is time to part ways then. Thank you for offering me a service I was never even mindful of, Intel. I wonder how your competitor is doing...

 

[DataSnake]

And as usual no one gives the technical details. Can I get some to see exactly what the deal is? I don't see a problem with upgrading motherboards.

As I see it, there are two problems:
1. This will make it harder to overclock, since Intel can place more restrictions on what the mobo is allowed to do.
2. Windows Product Activation is, IIRC, tied to the motherboard. If you get a new mobo, you need a new copy of Windows to go with it (at least that's how it worked as of XP, they might have changed it since).

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

The solution from the consumer end of things is just simply not to support it.

And so I shall. AMD get your shit together and fill the void.

Sadly, the vast bulk of the consumer end is the purchase of pre-fabricated units anyhow. If a comparable product can be had cheaply, I can't think of a business on earth that would opt for the more expensive route on such a slim principle. Hell, even most PC gamers I know don't build computers anymore; indeed, I'm the only person I know using a machine I built myself. Ten years ago, everyone I knew who played games on PC built their PC themselves.

Of course, out of that population of ten or so people I still keep in touch with, only two of us regularly play PC games. The others moved their gaming habits to the 360.

 

[MrTub]

Well well well, looks like high time for me to abandon the Intel ship. Does this mean I'll have to give up NVIDIA?

what??

what does intel have to do with nvidia?

 

[mechalynx]

Well well well, looks like high time for me to abandon the Intel ship. Does this mean I'll have to give up NVIDIA?

what??

what does intel have to do with nvidia?

NVIDIA and Intel are bedmates, I have no idea how well AMD stuff and NVIDIA cards work together since I'm an amateur at building my rigs (only built 2 from scratch).

 

[MrTub]

Well well well, looks like high time for me to abandon the Intel ship. Does this mean I'll have to give up NVIDIA?

what??

what does intel have to do with nvidia?

NVIDIA and Intel are bedmates, I have no idea how well AMD stuff and NVIDIA cards work together since I'm an amateur at building my rigs (only built 2 from scratch).

There is no problem using AMD grahpic card with Intel proccesor and there is no problem using AMD cpu with Nvidia gpu.

 

[Zipa]

And as usual no one gives the technical details. Can I get some to see exactly what the deal is? I don't see a problem with upgrading motherboards.

As I see it, there are two problems:
1. This will make it harder to overclock, since Intel can place more restrictions on what the mobo is allowed to do.
2. Windows Product Activation is, IIRC, tied to the motherboard. If you get a new mobo, you need a new copy of Windows to go with it (at least that's how it worked as of XP, they might have changed it since).

Number 2 is only the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) version of windows.

 

[Zipa]

Well well well, looks like high time for me to abandon the Intel ship. Does this mean I'll have to give up NVIDIA?

what??

what does intel have to do with nvidia?

NVIDIA and Intel are bedmates, I have no idea how well AMD stuff and NVIDIA cards work together since I'm an amateur at building my rigs (only built 2 from scratch).

Just fine, I use a asus motherboard with a AMD processor but a Nvidia grahpics card. It works just as well as a intel/nvidia or amd/amd build.

 

[mechalynx]

There is no problem using AMD grahpic card with Intel proccesor and there is no problem using AMD cpu with Nvidia gpu.

Just fine, I use a asus motherboard with a AMD processor but a Nvidia grahpics card. It works just as well as a intel/nvidia or amd/amd build.

And that is all I needed to know. I was worried since my fiancee always builds AMD processor/ASUS mobo/Radeon and hinted at that plugging in NVIDIA would set the world on fire.

Thank you!

 

[DarkhoIlow]

I don't usually overclock my CPU's either but I will definitely keep this in mind.

I just hope that this source is false however.I despise AMD processors.

 

[enriquetnt]

I really dont see whats the big issue enthusiast will always buy the biggest better thing out there, so is not like they gonna be "switching" CPUs because there a no "better" CPUs and by the time a truly better cpu arrives you can bet your ass is gonna be on a different socket, and whit intel and amd constantly changing sockets normal people whit modest computers cant really change CPU for better performance either (looking at you 1155 socket), son endline very few people is changing CPUs, if they put out 3 models one for enthusiasts one for productivity and one for browsing and basic uses in the long run it can be even better whit increased peformance and reduction if the problems of the actual "bridge" between the cpu and the mobo, the only real risk here is for the people who buys cheap mobos and psus and are constantly changing theyr broken mobos keeping the cpus and ram, (quality well installed mobos whit good psus and proper electrical protection will last FOREVER. my 20 years old first pentium is still up and running as the registering machine in my store, also my P4, dual core, quad core, and my first i7, ALL of them perfect running conditions whit years upon years of use on them)

 

[MrTub]

I really dont see whats the big issue enthusiast will always buy the biggest better thing out there, so is not like they gonna be "switching" CPUs because there a no "better" CPUs and by the time a truly better cpu arrives you can bet your ass is gonna be on a different socket, and whit intel and amd constantly changing sockets normal people whit modest computers cant really change CPU for better performance either (looking at you 1155 socket), son endline very few people is changing CPUs, if they put out 3 models one for enthusiasts one for productivity and one for browsing and basic uses in the long run it can be even better whit increased peformance and reduction if the problems of the actual "bridge" between the cpu and the mobo, the only real risk here is for the people who buys cheap mobos and psus and are constantly changing theyr broken mobos keeping the cpus and ram, (quality well installed mobos whit good psus and proper electrical protection will last FOREVER. my 20 years old first pentium is still up and running as the registering machine in my store, also my P4, dual core, quad core, and my first i7, ALL of them perfect running conditions whit years upon years of use on them)

ivy bridge cpus are actually supported on some SB motherboards so that is not completely true and perhaps you just want to switch motherboard since you bought a new graphic card (2/3/4sli/xfire) or for some other reason so there is several reasons to why this is not a good idea for costumers.