AMD to buy ATI!

[Psykotik]

On July 24, 2006, AMD and ATI announced a plan to join forces, in a transaction that will combine AMD’s technology leadership in microprocessors with ATI’s strengths in graphics, chipsets and consumer electronics. The result is a processing powerhouse: a new competitor, better equipped to drive growth, innovation and choice for its customers in commercial and mobile computing segments and in rapidly-growing consumer electronics segments. The transaction, valued at US $5.4 billion, is expected to close in Q4 2006 subject to approval by ATI shareholders, court approval, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

I think this is a fantastic move for AMD, not only can they now supply their own chipsets for desktops but they now have access to the lucrative mobile/cellphone market as ATI have recently foremed a partnership with Nokia.

What are your thoughts?

[Crazy_Nate]

I think they have to tread softly, to not irritate the other chipset manufacturers (nvidia/via). Hopefully, if this does go through, I'd like to see a GPU socket on a motherboard. Maybe this'll happen with AMD's 4x4 setup.

[jchurch]

That would be good to see.

[CandyKid]

I dissagree. I'd never buy a mobo with a GPU socket... that means the mobo would have to have integrated circuitry for memory, etc, for the GPU as well as the CPU, driving up mainboard costs and limiting upgrade options. Graphics cards are expensive, but there are good reasons why as well. Memory controllers, integrated IC's, etc, etc, etc... not something that I want on my mainboard as well. There's enough going on there as it is.

[/Devil's Advocate]

[walkitiki]

I agree with CK that a GPU socket would only cause Motherboard prices to escalate as well as decrease the competitiveness in the GPU market.

I think that the main effect on the computer market will be that AMD will now have its own chipsets on motherboards, making them in direct competition to Intel and Intel only. Leaving out, as CK pointed out, Nvidia and Via (less competition = high prices = bad). These are just my guesses as I'm not up to snuff on the economic happenings of the computer world.

[Crazy_Nate]

My guess is AMD motherboards are already heading in the more $$ direction, especially with the proposed 4x4 (dual socket motherboards). I would think if one of the GPU manufacturers started putting an on-die memory controller, the switch wouldn't be too painful (I mean, there are people who spend $1000 on graphics cards, only to upgrade them when the next best thing comes...) You'd just end up having a larger memory pool (system/video/etc) or allocated memory... Spend more on the motherboard? Most likely... But, you'd be able to get a GPU for cheaper...

*shrug*

We'll never know how the industry moves, until it does. I'm content with sitting here and watching as the big-names compete against themselves and drive the prices down :)

Here's an article if you guys want to read a little more about the AMD+ATI

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060724/ap_on_hi_te/amd_acquisition_1

$5.4 billion is a lot of money...

Posts Merged. Nate could you use the edit button to add further information to posts instead of double posting? Thanks. Da_Rude_Baboon

[CandyKid]

FWIW, the 4 x 4 is going to be marketed to a very small segment of users and isn't 'big plans' as such (at least if it's the thing I'm thinking it is!).

Also, what you're talking about is an integrated memory system which means that the on die memory controller of the GPU is a no-no. You have to have DEDICATED graphics memory for any graphics solution to be competitive and thus it cannot share memory with the system... physically too since you cannot have two memory controllers working on the same banks of RAM.

Also, GDDR3 is much faster than DDR or DDR2 for graphics operations. It's actually wired a bit differently for those purposes, etc.

I think AMD having their own chipsets is brilliant, but that's all the further I want this to go.

PLUR
CK

[Fibbles]

But then, what happens to ATi's video cards and other things? Are they still here, but under the AMD name?

Does this alienate nVidia?

One of the big reasons I love Intel stuff (yes, I love Intel stuff to a certain extent) is that their chips, when coupled to their own chipsets, absolutely rock. Perhaps now that AMD can have it's 'own', that's good. But what about ATi's support for Core 2 stuff? Does all that not exist anymore? What about Intel's XFire support on their 975 chipsets?

Too many concerns!

A lot of people have been yapping about how AMD + ATi will make "cheap, but good onboard video". What? Isn't that an oxymoron? I don't think there's ever been a reason to actually do that. Maybe the socketed idea, but then, I'd want a universal standard, but that's slim to none.

AMD's 4 x 4 = 2 CPU's and 2 video cars, which would now be XFire...

[CandyKid]

I'd be willing to bet nothing happens to ATi's brand name of video cards. It's been around too long, has too much support/followers, etc. I think they get help with fab processes and micro-architecture while AMD gets chipsets.

As for nVidia, why would it alienate them? They've already got Intel chipsets, now don't they? I think it'll just grow into a more 50:50 mix between AMD and Intel... the only thing is that they'll need to make some badass chipsets to be competitive, though most nVidia chipsets of late have been pretty spiffy and the AM2 high-end stuff looks amazing. So don't count them out.

PLUR
CK

[fivecheebs]

I'd hate to see nForce be limited to intel though.

[Fibbles]

I'd be willing to bet nothing happens to ATi's brand name of video cards. It's been around too long, has too much support/followers, etc. I think they get help with fab processes and micro-architecture while AMD gets chipsets.

As for nVidia, why would it alienate them? They've already got Intel chipsets, now don't they? I think it'll just grow into a more 50:50 mix between AMD and Intel... the only thing is that they'll need to make some badass chipsets to be competitive, though most nVidia chipsets of late have been pretty spiffy and the AM2 high-end stuff looks amazing. So don't count them out.

PLUR
CK

Well, yes they do, plus Intel has their own low end graphics solutions too and they still make their own. Hrmm.

Here's the official word on what's up: http://www.amd.com/us-en/0,,3715_14197_14198,00.html?redir=goBG01

Interesting too: http://voodoopc.blogspot.com/ (cover's some wonders.worries I have)

[ziyun]

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=33219

Might want to check out the article above as well. I found it interesting.

[jaguarking11]

Funny thing about the fab process is that both ati and amd hired IBM to do their fabbing work. So I don't know how much it will help.

Im all for competition. This kind of serves nvidia rite. They are now the small potato and maybe their high and mighty attitude towards their compatibility standards and quality will change.

I'm sorry to see ATI get bought but what the hell, I've seen stranger things happen.

[Boston Strangler]

I predict...

...that within two years, Intel owns nVidia
...that within five years AMD will be incompatible with nVidia, and Intel with ATi
...that within seven years America will produce a beer that's actually good (Samuel Adams not counted)

[Stalwart]

I'd hate to see nForce be limited to intel though.

Yah, me too, which is a good point, hopefully something like that doesn't happen.

That Voodoopc article brought up a good point, maybe this will bring an end to the intense competition between ATI and nVidia.

I like AMD, and I like where this is going.

[zittware]

I predict...

...that within two years, Intel owns nVidia

Nope won't happen.

1) If Intc actually announced it; the regulartory authorities would kill it for a monoploy. AMD + ATI might be sucessfull because they are both "smaller" market shares.

-my opinion on--
2) INTC wouldn't know how to manage the nvidia crew.I think it's a bad idea myself...

Intel has a rep of releasing solid product with documented errata and confirmed workarounds. As such; OEMs and most end users associate quality w/ the Intel brand.

In the GPU market; it's a different story.

As I see it; the existing players use tight design cycles to push their products out the door as quickly as possible... even at the risk of releasing "buggy implementations". Case in point; IMHO the NVIDIA FX series was fraught with bugs and issues.

If we acutally studied this market we'd realize that they release silicon / cards first... with only minor metal layer steppings - then they use their graphics drivers to workaround slicon bugs.

Intel's quality record and their quality goals would not allow them to stay compeitive in this market.

--my opinion off--

...that within five years AMD will be incompatible with nVidia, and Intel with ATi
Possible; but not likely as long as Intel continues to push GPU interface standards.

I've voice other options on this in this thread at AustinModders.com (http://www.austinmodders.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=12481#12481).

[jaguarking11]

I predict...
..that within seven years America will produce a beer that's actually good (Samuel Adams not counted)

I hapen to like budweiser. You see beer is like anything else. Its based on taste. What you may classify as good beer may be crap to me and vice versa.

In any case. I agree with zitware, nvidia wont be bought by intel. No reason for it. IF they wanted to make high end graphics chips they would on their own. THe prefer to sell to the other 90% of the market that uses integrated graphics (intel extreme).

I think via and nvidia would be a good match, they could learn allot from eachother. VIA has some nice low power consumption solutions that nvidia can apply to ramp up speed.

In any case nvidia deserves to be alienated simply for their cockiness in the market. Their products chaged drasticaly from the old days when I prefered their products. Hell even the FX series was decent if you knew how to tweak it and proved to be exelent bang for the buck in my case. My Fx5900 rocked when I tweaked the crap out of it. For the price I got the same performance as a 300-400dollar card while I payed 1/2 the price.

All I can do now is observe their response to this merger, AMD will definitly make it tough for them. Time will tell.

[Fibbles]

The sh!tty FX was the 5800. That one had to be revamped into the 5900, but still, while they were speedy, they lacked on the image quality front. Adding AA did little to make it look nice while it killed performance. The 9700 Pro on the other hand was slower, but adding AA improved the IQ while having minimal effect on speed.

Everyone keeps babbling about how they see AMD and nVidia's relationship dying. I thought that too, but when you consider that Intel makes its' own chipsets and graphics, how is AMD + ATi any different? nVidia will still make chipsets for AMD and if you want SLI...

Everyone also keeps babbling about how they'll never buy an ATi chipset, but since the goal is to unify both companies under one, ATi might just become a brand name if anything at all.

Then there's the crowd that's laughing because they think AMD will never have any competitive product again because Intel has a winner now. Those groups want competition to go away so we can pay a grand for the newest low end CPU and return to the "good old days" :lol: