NVIDIA Analyst Day: Jen-sun Goes to the Mat With Intel
by Derek Wilson on April 11, 2008 12:00 AM EST- Posted in
- GPUs
New Spin on Computer Marketing
Beyond all the FUD fighting, NVIDIA talked about a new push toward marketing computers not in terms of CPU speed or GPU model number or whatever the spec of the week may be, but in terms of what the computer is designed to do. NVIDIA, OEMs, and retailers have all gotten behind the idea that it would be a good practice to start building and marketing their systems not as low-end, midrange, or high-end, but as gaming computers, multimedia computers, workstations, or business application computers.
If system builders choose to balance CPU and GPU power to favor specific applications rather than just throwing all low-end components, all midrange components, or all high-end components at a system, they can deliver much better bang for the buck to people looking to use their PC for a specific purpose. NVIDIA refers to this idea as the Optimized PC Initiative. It's kind of a side note and not an NVIDIA centric line of thought, but it is an idea that could really help the uninitiated understand what they are getting when they purchase a system. In fact, this is one of the areas that really impressed us with the Gateway P-6831 FX notebook: that it is balanced for great midrange gaming performance.
Final Words
No one can deny Jen-sun's love for his company and his hardware, but while his presentation was impressive and impassioned, we must not discount Intel's ability to compete. They are impressive in capability (they've got a lot of brilliant engineers over there) and size (they've also got a lot of money). We also can't forget that Intel is a silicon company. They've got absolutely huge resources to dedicate to producing the most bleeding edge silicon base to house their ICs. With the sheer size and power requirements of today's GPUs, every little bit helps. The combination of Intel engineers building a massively parallel floating point engine to match the power of the GPU, and then fabbed on Intel silicon could be a huge coup if they are only willing to really commit to the task and put their money (and their minds) where it matters most.
Now that both Intel and NVIDIA have hit the mat and acknowledged each other as true competitors, we hope to see some huge things happen in terms of computer graphics and massively parallel floating point computing in general. Today marks the beginning of a new era in the desktop PC world: the beginning a battle between the world's greatest silicon company and the world's greatest dedicated IC design house.
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segerstein - Saturday, April 12, 2008 - link
As I read the article, but I wasn't wholly convinced about the arguments made by the CEO. As we have seen with EEE and other low cost computers, the current technology was about serving the first billion of people. But most people still don't have computers, because they are too expensive for them.Nvidia, not fully addressing even the first billion, because of its expensive discrete solutions, will see its market share shrink. Besides, there are many consumer electronics devices that would benefit from a low powered "System-on-a-chip".
Intel has Atom+chipset, AMD bought ATI precisely because it want to offer low powered "System-on-a-chip" (but also multicore high performing parts).
It would only make sense for Nvidia to buy VIA. VIA Isaiah processor seems promising. This was they could cater to a smaller high-end market with discrete solutions and to a growing market for low cost integrated solutions.
BZDTemp - Saturday, April 12, 2008 - link
Seems Nvidia does not like to be in the receiving end.I do remember Nvidia spreading lies about PowerVR's Kyro 3D cards sometime back when it looked like they might have a chance to be the third factor in 3D gaming hardware.
With ATIAMD in crisis I think it's great that Nvidia and Intel start competing even though I sincerely hope ATIAMD to come back strong and kick both their asses. After all I can't recall the red/green guys using unfair tactics and like to see integrity rewarded.
Finally I would Anandtech to be more critical when reporting from such venues. Try and google Kyro Nvidia and pdf to find the old story or just check out the pdf directly: ftp://ftp.tomshardware.com/pub/nvidia_on_kyro.pdf">ftp://ftp.tomshardware.com/pub/nvidia_on_kyro.pdf
duron266 - Saturday, April 12, 2008 - link
"Jensen is known as a very passionate, brilliant and arrogant guy but going against Intel on a frontal full scale might be the worst thing that they ever decided. Nvidia went from close to $40 to current $19.88 which means that the company has to do something to fix this but this is simply too much."duron266 - Friday, April 11, 2008 - link
NVIDIA...too high-profile,if they were going to vanish,
Jen-Hsun would be the number one to blame...
anandtech02148 - Friday, April 11, 2008 - link
there's a huge differences when audio is being process on a many core cpu like intel and on a stand alone pci card.putting the pci card in you can feel the cpu less bogged down, and the motherboard chipsets generating less heat.
An Integrated gpu, audio, and many cores doesn't solve the problem, there will be bandwith issues too.
Nvidia should hit Intel hard with a low powered, high performanced gpu, to prove a point.
epsilonparadox - Friday, April 11, 2008 - link
NVidia will never be able to compete on the low power arena with intel. Intel just have a better process and fabs for that process. NVidia has other companies building their chips. Plus graphics chips don't go with a new process like cpus do.poohbear - Friday, April 11, 2008 - link
very nice article, but how many of us are gonna understand the analogy:"someone's kid topping of a decanted bottle of '63 Chateau Latour with an '07 Robert Mondavi."
wtf is that?!? im guessing he's talking about wine, but whatever.
kb3edk - Friday, April 11, 2008 - link
Well of course it's a wine reference, consider the audience: Institutional investors. These are people who are much more likely to spend $500 worth of disposable income on a bottle of Chateau Something-Or-Other instead of a GeForce 9800 GTX.Also note the Mondavi reference because they're in Napa just on the other side of San Fran from nVidia HQ in Silicon Valley.
And it's still a bit odd seeing such strong words from nVidia against Intel considering that nVidia/Intel is the main enthusiast platform out there these days (as opposed to an all-AMD solution).
Khato - Friday, April 11, 2008 - link
Really quite enjoyed this, makes me all the more confident in the products Intel is currently developing.I mean really, how similar does NVIDIA's ranting sound compared to AMD's back when they were on top? No question that they're more competent than AMD, but they've done just as good a job at awakening a previously complacent beast at Intel. Heh, and they've never had to compete with someone that has a marked manufacturing advantage before...
tfranzese - Sunday, April 13, 2008 - link
Intel is no beast in these parts. Their track record in the discrete segment and drivers up to this day is complete failure. Until they execute on both the hardware and software, both monumental tasks, they'll continue to be right where they are in the discrete market (i.e. no where).