[citation][nom]inquiringminds[/nom]Cangelini, graphicsrus seems to have somewhat of a point, but I am not a graphics expert. I am a server expert, though. Can you please provide some examples of where Intel has led with new I/O connectivity? I am kind of server-centric, and hasn't AMD led there? AMD led the industry in server I/O on a bunch of things, yes?1/ Memory to chipset I/O: first with a direct connection (directconnect.) 2/ Serialized I/O between multiple CPU socketss: first with this in server (HT) 3/ Serialized socket I/O: HTX slot, in HP and IBM serversPlease explain. Thanks[/citation]
Minds--absolutely! The AMD examples you've mentioned are good; I'd associate them more with the company's architectural advantages, though. Its HT technology, integrated MC, HTX, etc, are all key components in the company's performance story.
By I/O connectivity, I'm talking about Intel's role nudging certain initiatives forward. WiMAX is perhaps the most current, but think also of PCI Express, USB, and SATA. Though they're not necessarily integral in Intel's overall performance story, they're all technologies that set the stage for 1) better peripheral performance 2) more convenient connectivity.
While Graphicsrus is correct in his observation that AMD was first with DisplayPort (notably in the FireGL V7700), my statement stands. Now that Intel has adopted similar functionality, I believe the company is still seen as a leader in pushing a lot of the technologies you'd later see in NVIDIA- and AMD-based chipsets.
By no means is it a slight toward AMD. The fact that Intel is adopting many AMD-like technologies in its Nehalem-based platform should speak to the merits of those capabilities. And Intel isn't batting 10/10 either--just think back to BTX. That was one example of a form factor initiative that flopped because it wasn't needed by the industry as a whole (just the NetBurst-based chips).