Trident Microsystems Inc has become the first chipset manufacturer to announce an integrated 3D graphics and core logic design for Advanced Micro Devices Inc’s Athlon CPU. The Santa Clara, California-based company says that the design, which is expected to be a low-cost product in the vein of Trident’s existing chipsets for the K6-2, gives the first hint of AMD’s plans for mainstreaming its new high performance processor.
Doctor Gerry Lou, senior VP of marketing at Trident, said the company would supply a northbridge chipset that included core logic and 3D graphics functions. Trident will partner with another company to supply the companion southbridge infrastructure – such as audio functions and a soft modem. He would not name the company, but Acer Labs Inc which has just announced its support for the Athlon seems the most likely potential candidate.
Lou claimed that he was unworried by the price issues surrounding the Athlon – the chip’s attendant infrastructure is claimed to be three times the price of similar Intel Pentium-compliant products. He said that by the time the Trident chipset was launched in the first half of next year, the initial price issues will disappear. The announcement of a low-end integrated chipset gave more than a subtle hint of what AMD’s plans were for the Athlon, Lou said. AMD is currently trying to promote the Athlon as a Pentium III killer. However, cheaper, integrated chipsets suggest that AMD will try to take the Athlon into the same market place as its K6 range. This probably mean some changes to the Athlon, with AMD possibly moving to a more inexpensive socket connection for its flagship sometime early next year.
Lou sees greater integration of chipset functions as the only way forward in the microprocessor market. He points to a process that will eventually see one block containing all the chipset functions sitting up against a microprocessor. The first phase was integrating all the graphics functions in the northbridge, the second phase will see the southbridge and northbridge functions integrated.
Separately, Trident is following in the footsteps of Intel and has filed suit against chipset rival VIA Technologies Inc. Trident is alleging breach of contract, fraud, misappropriation of trade secrets, patent infringement and copyright infringement, breach of fiduciary duty and unfair competition. The firm is seeking specific performance on the contract and injunctive relief.
