In an attempt to boost demand towards its latest Intel P45-based mainboards that aim premium market segment, Asustek Computer has cut prices on the appropriate products. Asus reportedly indicated that price cuts will clear out inventory before the firm rolls out its mainboards for Intel’s next-generation central processing units (CPUs).

Since Asustek’s mainboards usually target performance-minded customers and belong to premium-class products, their price reduction should boost demand and put Asus mainboards into competition with its smaller rivals. The world’s largest maker of motherboards is reported to have said that that it decided to clear out inventory and prepare for the upcoming launch of Intel X58-based platforms designed for Intel Core i7 processors.

According to a news-story at DigiTimes web-site, Asustek Computer and Gigabyte Technology will be ready to ship their Intel X58-based motherboards by mid-October, 2008. Asus reportedly decided to integrate Nvidia nForce 200 chip to enable Nvidia multi-GPU SLI technology on its X58 mainboard, whereas Gigabyte has chosen to license the technology, but not integrate the chip.

Substantial price-cut on Asustek Computer’s Intel P45-based mainboards may easily affect the whole motherboard market. Due to the fact that Asus is the largest producers of mainboards in the world, it enjoys lower pricing from suppliers of components, including Intel, due to high volumes. Smaller manufacturers do not have this advantage, which means that it will be uneasy to them to lower their prices to more successfully compete in the new market realities against Asus-branded products.

Intel P45 is the last performance-mainstream core-logic for Intel Core 2-series microprocessors. It is projected that it will eventually have a relatively long life-span, though, Asustek's attempts to reduce prices on its P45-based products adds doubts to the theory.

Tags: Asustek, Intel P45, Nehalem, Core i7