NVIDIA has x86 CPU in the works?
Posted Oct 19th 2006 11:26AM by Paul Miller
Filed under: Desktops, Gaming - engadget.com
Now this is more like it. Sure, the idea of a mighty Intel / AMD brawl, with each CPU giant carrying a GPU manufacturer underwing, has its plusses, but it's not like Intel and AMD haven't been duking it out for-freaking-ever already. What we really need is some new blood in this fight, and who better than NVIDIA, with their mighty chip-building and power sucking expertise to challenge the two main players in the CPU space? Nothing quite "official" yet, but the Inquirer claims to have confirmed just such a scheme is being launched by NVIDIA at this very moment. What makes this all the more likely is a recent acquisition of Stexar, which was comprised of ex-Intel kids, and should give NVIDIA a good head-start in the x86 game. Reportedly development is already underway, and the big N is shooting for a 45nm design for release sometime in 2008. The plan is, naturally, an integrated graphics chipset mixed with their fancy new CPU, a package which it looks like NVIDIA is well poised to offer, and which will be a vital offering from the likes of Intel and AMD in the years to come.
