NVIDIA in Acquisition Talks With VIA?

[Jimmy 2004]

According to DigiTimes, sources at motherboard manufacturers are reporting that NVIDIA and VIA have held talks regarding a possible merger. Apparently the companies discussed three possible scenarios: a strategic alliance, NVIDIA acquiring just VIA's processor division and NVIDIA acquiring the entire company. However, it looks like no deal has been made yet due to VIA setting too high a price, although negotiations are expected to continue given that VIA is making losses at the moment. VIA has denied these claims, commenting that its main business is still focused on X86 CPUs and chipsets and therefore it is unwilling to give up these segments. It's not so long ago that rumours were circulating that NVIDIA may be planning a bid for AMD, although nothing has come of that story so far.

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[Hawk1]

I could see that happening, especially with Intel branching out into descrete graphics sometime next year. Nvidia wants an x86 license, and Intel/AMD arent about to hand one to them, so the next logical step is to buy one.

 

[Kreij]

If I'm not mistaken, the x86 license is non-transferable.

 

[btarunr]

If I'm not mistaken, the x86 license is non-transferable.

...for AMD. Don't know if it applies to other companies as well.

Remember Centaur? The guys that made WinChip (an x86 processor)? They were acquired by VIA, so were Cyrix. A possible evasion of that 'non-transferable' clause would be that they make VIA a subsidary of NVidia while VIA would remain licensee.

 

[Kursah]

That is interesting, a few years ago a CPU/Chipset MFG purchased a Video Graphics company...now it's reversed. Really I don't care as long as the goal is to give the customer (us) the best product for the money...or as close to it as they will do.

And I think beta's right on the x86 liscense...but this could give NVidia some good competition towards Intel with it's GPU on CPU plans in the future. Things could get even more interesting..I look forward to seeing this play out.

 

[ShadowFold]

Nvidia making CPU's? That would be interesting.. maybe they would make strictly gaming CPU's with Ageia's tech stuff in them. In that case that would be pretty sweet.

 

[Hawk1]

That is interesting, a few years ago a CPU/Chipset MFG purchased a Video Graphics company...now it's reversed. Really I don't care as long as the goal is to give the customer (us) the best product for the money...or as close to it as they will do.

And I think beta's right on the x86 liscense...but this could give NVidia some good competition towards Intel with it's GPU on CPU plans in the future. Things could get even more interesting..I look forward to seeing this play out.

Well it would certainly give us more choices and probably lower prices, but could also complicate things as to what CPU's/GPU's work on what chipsets etc. Next we need Matrox to come back to the high end descrete arena to really stir it up.

 

[Grings]

nom nom nom, nvidia sure is hungry recently!

 

[DanishDevil]

nom nom nom, nvidia sure is hungry recently!

I agree! Next thing you know, they'll buy EA which by then will own everything else, and we will all be slaves to *cue russian accent* Mother nVidia

 

[cdawall]

maybe now we would see some real competition from via?

 

[btarunr]

maybe now we would see some real competition from via?

Provided it stays VIA. Remember how NVidia gobbled down ULi and put them into the chipset division? ULi used to make some very energy efficient, (and cool) chipset for the AMD K8. None of that energy efficient/cool chipset factor have we gotten to see in post-ULi NForce chipsets.

 

[cdawall]

Provided it stays VIA. Remember how NVidia gobbled down ULi and put them into the chipset division? ULi used to make some very energy efficient, (and cool) chipset for the AMD K8. None of that energy efficient/cool chipset factor have we gotten to see in post-ULi NForce chipsets.

very true i bet 650/680/780 would work alot better if they didn't overheat

 

[Morgoth]

I agree! Next thing you know, they'll buy EA which by then will own everything else, and we will all be slaves to *cue russian accent* Mother nVidia

The Way It's Meant to be Played'< my ass

 

[cdawall]

The Way It's Meant to be Played'< my ass

the way its meant to stutter

 

[MilkyWay]

Nah the opposite will happen EA will buy out Nvidia and Intel and then start buying out all the other hardware company's like Seagate for their hard drives, Creative for their sound cards ect :shadedshu.

Then they will try to buy out Mac for their OS lol because Microscotch would never sell to EA.

EA might just team up to be pals with Sony and try to take out Microsoft.


VIA have got crappy chipsets dunno why Nvidia want to own them.

 

[cdawall]

Nah the opposite will happen EA will buy out Nvidia and Intel and then start buying out all the other hardware company's like Seagate for their hard drives, Creative for their sound cards ect :shadedshu.

Then they will try to buy out Mac for their OS lol because Microscotch would never sell to EA.

EA might just team up to be pals with Sony and try to take out Microsoft.


VIA have got crappy chipsets dunno why Nvidia want to own them.

actually for all in one and low power its hard to beat via...780G is the only chipset to knock them out in the integrated segment and i doubt that will last. also notice the PT880 boards that are still being sold today? thats what 5yrs old?

 

[Kreij]

So will they be called NVivia?

 

[WarEagleAU]

Actually, as much as I dislike nvidia, this seems like a nice move for them. more competition and now AMD would have to improve its cpus alot more and its graphics too.

 

[DarkMatter]

I agree! Next thing you know, they'll buy EA which by then will own everything else, and we will all be slaves to *cue russian accent* Mother nVidia

You mean EA buying Nvidia isn't it? EA has a lot more money than Nvidia and indeed the company is worth more than Nvidia, Amd and Via together...

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Nah the opposite will happen EA will buy out Nvidia and Intel and then start buying out all the other hardware company's like Seagate for their hard drives, Creative for their sound cards ect :shadedshu.

Then they will try to buy out Mac for their OS lol because Microscotch would never sell to EA.

EA might just team up to be pals with Sony and try to take out Microsoft.


VIA have got crappy chipsets dunno why Nvidia want to own them.

some how I think that creative would much rather give Nvidia the finger then be bought out by them, also theyd have to deal with the hordes of Creative Loyalist Insurgents that will protest against the aquasition.

IMHO i really cant see mp3 players or speakers branded with 'EA' tags going on sale - unless EA plan to expand into the music industry to rival napster & apple etc....

it wouldnt seem right & seagate will continue to sit around drinking cups of tea oblivious to everything

 

[jbunch07]

Nvidia making CPU's? That would be interesting.. maybe they would make strictly gaming CPU's with Ageia's tech stuff in them. In that case that would be pretty sweet.

thats might be interesting, the cpu market needs more competition imo

 

[JrRacinFan]

So will they be called NVivia?

I was thinking more on the lines of nDiVia LOL! This could be a good thing, don't screw this up nVidia!

When companies merge it usually means good things for the consumer.

 

[xfire]

You mean EA buying Nvidia isn't it? EA has a lot more money than Nvidia and indeed the company is worth more than Nvidia, Amd and Via together...

Yet some how they cry over the piracy of games

 

[btarunr]

Yet some how they cry over the piracy of games

That doesn't give you an excuse to pirate either.

 

[Morgoth]

Nvidia is affraid of intel, that means we can kil it !