Nvidia May Use Intel to Make Some Chips

It only took, what, about 300 years of no process improvements before they realized they had to do this.
 
14nm and 10nm GPUs? Yes, please :D.

But, seriously. Considering NVLINK will have to play it close to the CPU architecture, I think this deal is going to be mutually beneficial between both them and the consumers. Not to mention if NVIDIA wants to expand devices in the SoC market. Maybe it will actually accelerate 16nm FinFET GPUs coming to market.

But I have no idea what I'm talking about, so please be gentle with the inevitable ass reaming...
 
Probably their SoC designs. Intel only semi-opened up their fabs to keep them churning 24/7/365. If they ain't bakin they ain't makin.

One step closer to my belief Intel will eventually gobble up Nvidia.
 
An Intel APU with Nvidia graphics would be awesome after Intel buys them out.
 
cageymaru said:
An Intel APU with Nvidia graphics would be awesome after Intel buys them out.
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That would all but assure AMD goes bankrupt as their APU is the only thing keeping them somewhat afloat.

Our gov't might not allow that to happen as it would wipe out basically any competition.

With quite a few FABs in the USA it could be cost effective to just make their chips here.
 
Liger88 said:
Probably their SoC designs. Intel only semi-opened up their fabs to keep them churning 24/7/365. If they ain't bakin they ain't makin.

One step closer to my belief Intel will eventually gobble up Nvidia.
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Sure looks that way. They both have no chance if Samsung is to acquire AMD soon. The battle is finally coming. Brace yourseves
 
dgz said:
Sure looks that way. They both have no chance if Samsung is to acquire AMD soon. The battle is finally coming. Brace yourselves
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I was reading that earlier. I wonder what it would mean for the Nvidia vs Samsung lawsuits since Samsung would acquire all of AMD's patents. Samsung with a x86 license would be sick! Nvidia would have to be eaten by Intel to stay alive in my opinion.

Times they are a changin'.
 
The problem I have with this "story" is that there is no substance behind it. It's just some market analyst dreaming about what he thinks could happen.

And why would Samsung buy AMD? Who would want that albatross?
 
AMD needs cash infusion to compete and they don't have it but Samsung does.
They have survived since 1969 so they must be doing something right to stay afloat this long.
 
jwcalla said:
And why would Samsung buy AMD? Who would want that albatross?
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I want to keep seeing competition in the x86 and GPU market. I don't care if Microsoft buys them out so long as daddy's got a fat wallet to throw money at them. A entity like Samsung wipes its ass with more money than AMD would know what to do with.

Plus someday I'd like to see the return of greatness. Athlon, T-Bird level that is.

Perhaps the next majestical codename could be: "Phoenix"
 
jwcalla said:
The problem I have with this "story" is that there is no substance behind it. It's just some market analyst dreaming about what he thinks could happen.

And why would Samsung buy AMD? Who would want that albatross?
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Personally, I think it would be a complimentary relationship. AMD has excellent GPU designs, an x86 license and a number of CPU designs, and Samsung has tons of cash and 14nm technology. I could see it working.
 
Rizen said:
Personally, I think it would be a complimentary relationship. AMD has excellent GPU designs, an x86 license and a number of CPU designs, and Samsung has tons of cash and 14nm technology. I could see it working.
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Hypothetically, if Samsung did offer to buy AMD would the x86 licenses actually transfer?
 
Ws60 said:
Hypothetically, if Samsung did offer to buy AMD would the x86 licenses actually transfer?
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It's not transferable. But who knows... Intel would likely want to license it to someone to not be labeled a monopoly.
 
bexamous said:
It's not transferable. But who knows... Intel would likely want to license it to someone to not be labeled a monopoly.
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Intel is already working on that. Intel is already in deals with Rockchip and Spreadtrum to make Intel SoC and expects them to use transfer to x86 in a few years. 2015-2018 was the initial rumored dates for both to build x86.

The goal appears to be to get a larger presence of x86 in the mobile market and get ARM out of the server market in China.

Licensing to 3rd parties like Rockchip and Spreadtrum would be enough for Intel to say, no monopoly here, if AMD falters or loses cross license.
 
Rizen said:
Personally, I think it would be a complimentary relationship. AMD has excellent GPU designs, an x86 license and a number of CPU designs, and Samsung has tons of cash and 14nm technology. I could see it working.
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They already work together on HSA. It just makes sense for them to further the relationship.
 
If Samsung bought AMD they would just absorb AMD's tech and put it towards their ARM business. I doubt they would want to invest the R&D needed to stay competitive in video cards or bother trying to get a x86 license (which may not even be possible). Realistically only one company is making a profit off of x86 chips and only 1 company is making a profit off of video cards.

With AMD's stock down around $2 if someone wanted to by them, they would have already.

As far as Intel making NVIDIA chips? I think Intel just started making chips for other companies. So it makes sense that NVIDIA and others would look into them as an option.
 
No, I think that Samsung would take ATi's 8 years of pre-Nvidia's existence; portfolio of patents and make Nvidia pay them for every chip that they sell. AMD seems to be too nice to competitors and Samsung is cutthroat. The Samsung vs Nvidia lawsuit would spiral out of control. Nvidia might have to sell to Intel to stay relevant. Samsung is a power player that the big dogs have to source their parts from. See Apple.
 
Rizen said:
Personally, I think it would be a complimentary relationship. AMD has excellent GPU designs, an x86 license and a number of CPU designs, and Samsung has tons of cash and 14nm technology. I could see it working.
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Possibly. Its a risky investment for Samsung. AMD does have good GPU designs but its about sales, not designs. On that front the market still favors Intel and NVIDIA heavily. If the x86 license isn't transferrable then AMD's x86 CPU designs are a moot point because Samsung can't use them. And frankly what we've seen from AMD on that front over the last several years wouldn't really inspire investor confidence. AMD is years behind Intel and the chips they are working on now have to be able to compete with Intel three years from now on equal footing to be relevant. At that point you still have to tackle OEM sales to be profitable. That's territory Intel is firmly entrenched in and will fight like hell to keep it. Its one thing to fight for marketshare if you have a foot hold but Samsung doesn't have a single toe in the x86 CPU market.

Honestly I think this is a high risk low reward type of situation. AMD would have to show something incredibly promising behind closed doors to Samsung to get them to do a buy out. At one point IBM seemed like a potential buyer for AMD but IBM continues to distance itself from hardware more and more. Sure they have a massive R&D budget but they sell patents and technologies from its R&D efforts instead of building the technology themselves. So I have to agree with jwcalla. AMD is an albatross that no one wants. Unless AMD wants to spin off its GPU business alone it just isn't going to be an attractive option to anyone.
 
PRIME1 said:
AMD sued Samsung, long before NVIDIA did.
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That's irrelevant today. It's all about what have you done for me lately. As of now, Nvidia and Samsung are embroiled in a legal suit while AMD and Samsung are partners in the HSA Foundation. Can Nvidia get back into Samsung's good graces? Sure because it's all about money and licensing agreements in the end. Samsung owning AMD's patent portfolio would be a tremendous blow to Nvidia's current and future lawsuits.
 
cageymaru said:
That's irrelevant today. It's all about what have you done for me lately. As of now, Nvidia and Samsung are embroiled in a legal suit while AMD and Samsung are partners in the HSA Foundation. Can Nvidia get back into Samsung's good graces? Sure because it's all about money and licensing agreements in the end. Samsung owning AMD's patent portfolio would be a tremendous blow to Nvidia's current and future lawsuits.
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http://techreport.com/news/28017/sec-filing-says-samsung-is-fabbing-chips-for-nvidia
 
PRIME1 said:
http://techreport.com/news/28017/sec-filing-says-samsung-is-fabbing-chips-for-nvidia
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Samsung has been making those expensive Apple displays for years while embroiled in a legal dispute with them. They also sell other things to them. It's all about licensing and cross licensing. Samsung doesn't care if you sue them as long as they get a deal in the end where they get to license your tech in exchange for some of their tech. Buying AMD strictly for the patents would strengthen their position against Nvidia. Samsung would just charge more for each chip made to cover the cost of litigation. What is Nvidia going to do? Beg TSMC or Intel? :D

We might see Samsung with CUDA inside in the future. :)
 
ep0x73 said:
That would all but assure AMD goes bankrupt as their APU is the only thing keeping them somewhat afloat.

Our gov't might not allow that to happen as it would wipe out basically any competition.

With quite a few FABs in the USA it could be cost effective to just make their chips here.
Click to expand...

I hope to God this doesn't happen and my tax dollars don't go to keep AMD afloat.
 
cageymaru said:
Samsung has been making those expensive Apple displays for years while embroiled in a legal dispute with them. They also sell other things to them. It's all about licensing and cross licensing. Samsung doesn't care if you sue them as long as they get a deal in the end where they get to license your tech in exchange for some of their tech. Buying AMD strictly for the patents would strengthen their position against Nvidia. Samsung would just charge more for each chip made to cover the cost of litigation. What is Nvidia going to do? Beg TSMC or Intel? :D

We might see Samsung with CUDA inside in the future. :)
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Samsung couldn't win a slam-dunk court case against Apple; them having a few more patents in their portfolio probably isn't going to help them any.

Besides... I suspect this nvidia lawsuit will be quietly withdrawn once Samsung's fabs are up and running full song and pushing out nvidia chips by the truckload.
 
jwcalla said:
Samsung couldn't win a slam-dunk court case against Apple; them having a few more patents in their portfolio probably isn't going to help them any.

Besides... I suspect this nvidia lawsuit will be quietly withdrawn once Samsung's fabs are up and running full song and pushing out nvidia chips by the truckload.
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Didn't work for Apple. Samsung never stopped making chips for Apple or displays as the lawsuits raged on. At the end of it they raised the price per unit to cover the price of litigation. Agreeing to buy something from Samsung doesn't make a difference to them in terms of lawsuits and patents. It's all a part of doing business.
 
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