Haswell may cause motherboard players to exit market
I really hate to see stories like this.
Intel is already set to launch its next-generation Haswell-based processors, comprehensively designed for IT products such as tablets, notebooks, ultrabooks, desktops and servers, in the second quarter of 2013; however, since Haswell is designed to integrate functions such as power phase control, which is mainly used for overclocking, into the CPU, sources from motherboard players are concerned that the new processor and weakening desktop market demand will cause several second-tier motherboard players to exit the market in late 2013.
Intel has been taking steps to further reduce total system costs by moving more and more "chipset" functions to the processor. This all started with the Math Co-Processor (A long time ago) followed by the CPU (multi core processors). The memory controller was the most impressive move from a performance standopint followed by the PCI Express bus found in Sandy/Ivy Bridge.
In proper "we can do it better than you" thinking the latest thing to move to the CPU will be PWM control. On the surface this is a good thing since it should improve power savings but won't help much if you intend to overclock or do any of the traditional enthusiast activities. All of the things listed above were also factors that separated the various motherboard vendors. Some vendors did things better and that reflected on their quality while other vendors would cut costs and the consumer would suffer.
Eventually the Intel processor will be a total SOC (System on a Chip) and render the traditional motherboard obsolete and thus level the playing field. No longer will you lust for an Asus ROG board or hunt high and low for a Gigabyte 7 series, instead it will be like a GPU reference design.
Yes you will still need a physical PCB but the things that made that PCB unique will no longer exist. People say that the PC is dead, in some ways they are right.
Related Web URL: http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20120926PD228.html
