Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Nvidia Firmly Denies Plans To Build a CPU

Posted by timothy on from the this-time-we-mean-it dept.

Barence writes "A senior vice president of Nvidia has denied rumours that the company is planning an entry into the x86 CPU market. Speaking to PC Pro, Chris Malachowsky, another co-founder and senior vice president, was unequivocal. 'That's not our business,' he insisted. 'It's not our business to build a CPU. We're a visual computing company, and I think the reason we've survived the other 35 companies who were making graphics at the start is that we've stayed focused.' He also pointed out that such a move would expose the company to fierce competition. 'Are we likely to build a CPU and take out Intel?' he asked. 'I don't think so, given their thirty-year head start and billions and billions of dollars invested in it. I think staying focused is our best strategy.' He was also dismissive of the threat from Intel's Larrabee architecture, following Nvidia's chief architect calling it a 'GPU from 2006' at the weekend."

8 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. Focused by Akita24 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yeah, they've stayed focused on graphics chips, that's why there are so many motherboards with nVidia chip sets .. *sigh*

  2. Just a thought... by darkvizier · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you're 30 years behind them in their market, and they're 2 years behind you in yours, maybe it's not wise to be "dismissive of the threat" ?

  3. And why not? by geogob · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I wouldn't mind seeing more players in the computer processor industry. The headlines really make it sound like it would be a bad thing. Maybe I'm getting the headlines wrong, but having Nvidia presenting new alternatives to a market almost exclusively owned by Intel and AMD would be interesting.

  4. From 2006 by Alioth · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "A GPU from 2006" sounds a lot like famous last words.

    I wonder if anyone at DEC made comments in a similar vein about Intel CPUs, when the Alpha was so far ahead of anything Intel was making? NVidia's architect should not underestimate Intel, if he does, he does it at his company's peril.

    --
    Oolite: Elite-like game. For Mac, Linux and Windows
  5. Re:Anyone Surprised? by AKAImBatman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Is anyone actually surprised that the CEO is denying this?

    Not at all. As you say, he would have denied it even if NVidia WAS planning a CPU. What actually speaks volumes IMHO, is the vehemence with which he denied it. Any CEO who's cover-denying a market move is not going to close his own doors by stating that the company could never make it in that space. He would give far weaker reasons so that when the announcement comes the market will still react favorably to their new product.

    In other words: stick a fork in it, because this bit of tabloid reporting is dead.

    --
    Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
  6. How nVidia "Survived" by Bruce+Perens · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think the reason we've survived the other 35 companies who were making graphics at the start is that we've stayed focused.

    3DFx was the first company to publish Open Source 3D drivers for their 3D cards. nVidia sued them, then bought them at a discount, and shut down the operation. So, we had no Open Source 3D for another 5 years.

    That's not "staying focused". It's being a predator.

    Bruce

    --
    Bruce Perens.
    1. Re:How nVidia "Survived" by Rufus211 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      What on earth are you talking about? 3DFx died because it was horribly mismanaged and ran out of money. There were lawsuits, but 3dfx sued NV first in 1998 and then in 2000 NV counter-sued (source). True NV's countersuit was right before 3dfx died, but a simple lawsuit that's gone nowhere in the courts yet doesn't cause a company to go bankrupt overnight.

      Personally I'll believe one of my (ex-3dfx Austin) friend's explanation for their downfall: the fully stocked Tequila bar that was free to all employees. Or there's a whole list of problems leading to their decline on wikipedia.

  7. Re:x86 rumors origin ? by CodeBuster · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Maybe that is where some journalist got mixed and where all this "nVidia is preparing a x86 chip" rumor began?

    This is what happens when technical information is filtered through the brain of a salesperson, manager, or executive. It comes out completely mangled on the opposite side or, even worse, it morphs into something which while technically correct is NOT the information that the non-technical person thought they were conveying (i.e. they have unknowingly modified the requirements specification in a way that is logically consistent from a technical standpoint, but will result in the wrong product being built).