Asustek: No Intel Move Will Bury DIY and Enthusiast PC Market Segments.
21 replies, posted
[QUOTE]Asustek Remains Optimistic About High-End Mainboards Market Despite Intel’s BGA Plans
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[QUOTE]Asustek Computer believes that the mainboard industry will find a way to offer high-performance solutions for do-it-yourself (DIY) and enthusiast markets even if Intel adopts the strategy under which it will only sell processors in ball-grid array (BGA) packaging, which eliminates upgrade possibilities. However, Asus does not really believe that Intel would completely eliminate processor sockets.
Joe Hsieh, vice president of mainboards business at Asustek, said in an interview with Digitimes.com.tw web-site said that Intel would almost certainly offer processors in both BGA as well as LGA [land grid array] packages even after 2014 – 2015, when the world’s largest chipmaker is rumoured to start pushing BGA chips soldered to mainboards into the desktop segments. The high-ranking executive noted that interchangeable microprocessors still drive a lot of profit opportunities for Intel as well as its infrastructure partners, including mainboard makers.
Even in the worst case scenario – if Intel’s chips are only supplied in BGA types of packages – large makers of mainboards - such as Asus, Asrock, Gigabyte Technology, Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) or MicroStar International (MSI) - will continue to offer solutions for the DIY market as end-users will still be able to change graphics cards, memory modules, hard drives, solid-state drives and so on.
Intel said earlier this month that despite of the recent rumours, it would continue to produce and sell interchangeable microprocessors in land grid array packaging and will not transit to soldered chips in ball grid array (BGA) only in the foreseeable future. At the same time, Intel did not comment on longer-term future, which may easily indicate that CPU sockets are going away in case of certain market segments.
It is obvious that Intel will continue developing server-class processors in LGA packaging, which automatically means that the company will continue to offer high-end desktop platforms with CPU sockets. In the meantime, at least in case of the low-end and/or low-power platforms, it makes sense to sell microprocessors with mainboards. For example, both Intel and its arch-rival AMD already sell low-cost/low-power Atom-series and Fusion E-series products in BGA package that are soldered directly to mainboards.
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[url]http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/mainboards/display/20121221083048_Asustek_No_Intel_Move_Will_Bury_DIY_and_Enthusiast_PC_Market_Segments.html[/url]
they can do BGA cause no one i know only buys a CPU without buying another motherboard or completely redoing there build. Yeah CPU's can fail and require replacement sometimes but heck with my method it'd be pretty cool.
Intel does BGA but basically like video cards lets manufactors put the chip on there motherboards, Thereby lets say I want a Asus Rampage Extreme I can get it in what ever chip i want right now ex: 3820 or 3930k or etc.
It's not a bad idea and if the chip goes that means the motherboard is going to get replaced too under warranty. IF the warranty does go and it fails yeah it does suck cause your paying for the price of a new chip and MB combined.
It's a shaky thing for sure but i'm sure intel just won't dump the entire motherboard market.
They would never do that. Intel knows damn well that, if they do go 100% BGA-only, AMD is going to jump all over that shit and snap back huge chunks of the processor market they normally would be unable to threaten merely by having processors you can replace independently of the mainboard itself.
[QUOTE=TestECull;38952155]They would never do that. Intel knows damn well that, if they do go 100% BGA-only, AMD is going to jump all over that shit and snap back huge chunks of the processor market they normally would be unable to threaten merely by having processors you can replace independently of the mainboard itself.[/QUOTE]
the vast, [I]vast[/I] majority of PC sales are laptops, which cannot have their CPU's replaced. Also the majority of desktop buyers do not know how to replace a CPU, nor do they want to.
So that leaves PC builders, which is a niche market
[QUOTE=The Baconator;38952187]the vast, [I]vast[/I] majority of PC sales are laptops, which cannot have their CPU's replaced. Also the majority of desktop buyers do not know how to replace a CPU, nor do they want to.
So that leaves PC builders, which is a niche market[/QUOTE]
And that niche market has a lot of Intel's attention. Think about it...where else are they gonna offload $1,000 processors?
They won't do it. Niche market or not they'd lose millions in market share and revenue if they went BGA only. Also, think about server farms and the like...server owners are not about to replace a $1,000 processor AND $1,000 mainboard at the same time because just one died. It'd murder their bottom line. So they'd instead just switch to AMD as a cost-saving measure, performance may not be quite as good but they don't lose a fortune every time a proc or mainboard conks.
[QUOTE=The Baconator;38952187]the vast, [I]vast[/I] majority of PC sales are laptops, which cannot have their CPU's replaced. Also the majority of desktop buyers do not know how to replace a CPU, nor do they want to.
So that leaves PC builders, which is a niche market[/QUOTE]
Is it really significant enough to warrant two "vast"s?
I say out of ignorance, not out of objection.
[QUOTE=Elecbullet;38952367]Is it really significant enough to warrant two "vast"s?
I say out of ignorance, not out of objection.[/QUOTE]
It is. Unless you are really interested in raw power, most people go for the laptops.
[QUOTE=The Baconator;38952187]are laptops, which cannot have their CPU's replaced.[/QUOTE]
Haha, where have you been since laptops started existing?
Nearly all laptops have socketed CPUs and have a plethora of different CPUs you can swap out with.
The only case you're going to find laptops with BGA mounted CPUs are in things like netbooks or some lower end tablets.
I have almost never seen LGA CPUs in laptops.
[QUOTE=The Baconator;38952187]the vast, [I]vast[/I] majority of PC sales are laptops, which cannot have their CPU's replaced. Also the majority of desktop buyers do not know how to replace a CPU, nor do they want to.
So that leaves PC builders, which is a niche market[/QUOTE]
Niche market my ass. I work in IT and management would rather replace a CPU than the entire machine, in the end saving them hundreds of thousands of dollars. Definitely worth paying two or three extra above-average salaries.
[QUOTE=The Baconator;38952187]the vast, [I]vast[/I] majority of PC sales are laptops, which cannot have their CPU's replaced. Also the majority of desktop buyers do not know how to replace a CPU, nor do they want to.
So that leaves PC builders, which is a niche market[/QUOTE]
PC builders are pretty much the only ones who buy the expensive stuff like high-end i5s and i7s and both companies have lines dedicated to overclocking (also a thing that mostly PC builders do) so I'd say that "niche market" is pretty important to AMD and Intel.
As much as AMD is eh right now I'd gladly buy one of there processors. 8350 is comparable to a 3770 and dollar to preference wise AMD gets the run.
I miss having what was considered a spider build. I use ATi cards and always will.
[QUOTE=CubeManv2;38952134]Intel does BGA but basically like video cards lets manufactors put the chip on there motherboards, Thereby lets say I want a Asus Rampage Extreme I can get it in what ever chip i want right now ex: 3820 or 3930k or etc.
It's not a bad idea and if the chip goes that means the motherboard is going to get replaced too under warranty. IF the warranty does go and it fails yeah it does suck cause your paying for the price of a new chip and MB combined.[/QUOTE]
The problem is that you will almost certainly see serious gouging if something like this happens. Want the equivalent to whatever the 3570k or 3770k chip are? Well you have to buy the 250 dollar board too because the 150 board won't come with the processors you want. Traditionally, that's been what most of us enthusiasts have done over in pc building. Buy a good motherboard, but don't buy one with 300 bells and whistles you don't ever plan on using.
What is the point of these "news" when Intel already said that their not switching to BGA?
[url]http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/12/intel-reaffirms-support-for-socketed-cpus-for-the-forseeable-future/[/url]
Because the long game is BGA.
I'd love to see mobo makers start releasing CPU cards.
Eventually BGA will happen, and I believe I said this before.
Chips have been steadily merging into one piece for quite a while now because it's feasible to do so. On top of that, BGA allows for extremely fine connectors, so you can have Metric Fuck Ton™ of them. At some point, that's going to be the barrier that needs to be broken to push the tech forward.
[QUOTE=bohb;38952470]Haha, where have you been since laptops started existing?
Nearly all laptops have socketed CPUs and have a plethora of different CPUs you can swap out with.
The only case you're going to find laptops with BGA mounted CPUs are in things like netbooks or some lower end tablets.[/QUOTE]
I've taken apart and rebuilt quite a few desktops. I've taken apart several laptops; they never seem to come back together again.
Quite a bit of a pain in the ass to work in them.
[QUOTE=Elecbullet;38953323]I've taken apart and rebuilt quite a few desktops. I've taken apart several laptops; they never seem to come back together again.
Quite a bit of a pain in the ass to work in them.[/QUOTE]
This is mostly due to them being machine assembled, and designed with that in mind. A lot of laptops have replaceable CPUs. A lot of laptops also have no easy way to get at the CPU, or any of the components for that matter.
Yet another reason why the hardware section has such a collective group of hardons for thinkpads. You can actually get to stuff to replace it in 4-8 screws in almost all cases.
[QUOTE=Daniel M;38952877]Niche market my ass. I work in IT and management would rather replace a CPU than the entire machine, in the end saving them hundreds of thousands of dollars. Definitely worth paying two or three extra above-average salaries.[/QUOTE]
Hell, I do a cleaning on my PC every year where I remove all memory, processors, and PCI cards and blow it out with air, reseat everything, and then clean and repaste my CPU. I couldn't imagine replacing a CPU being much harder than reseating one, except oh fuck you have to match up NUMBERS!
Holy shit!
[QUOTE=Hunt3r.j2;38952845]I have almost never seen LGA CPUs in laptops.[/QUOTE]
Because laptops use different sockets. Intel mobile CPUs used uPGA479, Socket M, P, G1 and G2.
AMD used to just use plain desktop sockets with desktop CPUs in their laptops, which resulted in less than stellar battery life.
[QUOTE=The Baconator;38952187]the vast, [I]vast[/I] majority of PC sales are laptops, which cannot have their CPU's replaced. Also the majority of desktop buyers do not know how to replace a CPU, nor do they want to.
So that leaves PC builders, which is a niche market[/QUOTE]
what's wrong with niche? many companies make a living off niche markets. you could consider grand strategy games a niche market but paradox interactive makes boucoup bucks developing and publishing those games. high end audio equipment is another niche market but there are more than enough audiophiles and musicians about to keep the market going.
hell, business strategy often encourages finding a niche because niche's are filled with very loyal customers willing to pay top dollar for excellent service/products.
[QUOTE=CubeManv2;38952940]As much as AMD is eh right now I'd gladly buy one of there processors. 8350 is comparable to a 3770 and dollar to preference wise AMD gets the run.
I miss having what was considered a spider build. I use ATi cards and always will.[/QUOTE]
The 3750k is less expensive and gets better performance, and overclocks easier thanks to integrated components that used to be on-board. Sorry but high end CPU wise, AMD is not doing so hot right now. Hopefully this trends changes soon. Their graphics cards are fantastic though.
[editline]24th December 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=yawmwen;38963525]many companies make a living off niche markets.[/QUOTE]
not Intel
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