Intel making GPU

Author: Wil Harris
Published: 24th January 2007

Intel - leaping into your PCI-E slot.

Intel is working on creating an add-in graphics board for high-end gamers, it has been revealed.

A job posting on the Intel website has all the gory details:

Intel's Visual Computing Group (VCG) has the mission to establish the future of computing for high-throughput workloads. We are focused on developing discrete graphics products based on a many-core architecture targeting high-end client platforms. Our vision is that the resulting ingredients and technology will extend to mobile clients, servers, and embedded platforms over time. VCG will initially focus on discrete graphics products but will also expand the previous charter to include developing plans for accelerated CPU integration.

You can check out the full thing over on the Visual Computing Group webpage at Intel, which has the tagline - Create next-gen graphics and gaming experiences.

Of course, Intel is already the lead supplier of graphics chips in the industry - in the shape of its integrated motherboard chipsets that are in so many laptops. But whilst it has a massive share of the market overall, it has zero share in the discrete market for add-in boards.

The move is obviously a play against AMD, which now makes GPUs in the form of its ATI business unit. AMD can now put out GPUs, CPUs and chipsets - and now, with this new graphics division, Intel will be able to do the same.

Can Intel move in and kick the butts of NVIDIA and ATI? Given the massive amount of resources and engineering expertise the company has, we wouldn't bet against it. Let us know your thoughts over in the forums.