X-bit labs

Nvidia Set to Develop Chipsets for Via Microprocessors - Reports.

Category: Chipsets

by Anton Shilov

[ 03/27/2008 | 11:21 PM ]

There is no secret that both Advanced Micro Devices and Intel Corp. are pushing their own platforms consisting of microprocessors and chipsets with or without their own integrated graphics core. As a consequence, companies who sell their own core-logic sets compatible with AMD or Intel chips do not have a lot of success opportunities. Considering the situation, Nvidia Corp. decided to offer core-logic for microprocessors developed by Via Technologies.

Nvidia Corp., the world's largest supplier of discrete graphics chips and a developer of chipsets for AMD and Intel processors, will offer core-logic dets for Via Isaiah microprocessors, various reports claim (1, 2). The decision is needed to stay on the market of chipsets, where the leading developers of x86 microprocessors expanding currently, and also rival AMD and Intel with low-cost low-power x86-based platform.

It is believed that Nvidia and Via has signed a strategic partnership under which Nvidia will offer feature-rich chipsets compatible with Via microprocessors.

Nevertheless, this does not mean that Via Technologies will cease to develop its own chipsets for its processors. Via's wholly-owned subsidiary S3 Graphics will also continue to develop discrete graphics chips.

Nvidia has an arsenal of feature-rich chipsets for AMD and Intel platforms. However, microprocessors from Via use proprietary bus incompatible with competing central processing units (CPUs), which means Nvidia will have to considerably redesign existing core-logic sets to make them work with Via CPUs. It is also crucial for Nvidia to make its Via-compatible chipsets low-power and low-cost so that to address the markets of inexpensive systems with low energy consumption.

Neither Nvidia nor Via commented on the news-story.