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I'm still bummed that CPU manufacturers basically killed off the third party chipset industry. Maybe it was inevitable when memory controllers moved on-die, bu

I'm still bummed that CPU manufacturers basically killed off the third party chipset industry. Maybe it was inevitable when memory controllers moved on-die, but I remember when there was actual competition in the chipset business.

paulryanrogers 2y ago
Like Cyrix and AMD? I don't recall any other mainstream x86 alternatives.
- sgerenser 2y ago
  Chipset, not CPU. For example, Nvidia was a well known chipset manufacturer around this time, shortly before memory controllers went on package and 3rd party chipsets died off.
  - timschmidt 2y ago
    Don't forget the venerable Via, SiS, Chips and Technologies, OPTi, ALi, ULi, etc.
    - Veliladon 2y ago
      They weren't venerable. They were anything but. They were designed to be a lower BOM on the motherboard and 90% of them were buggy garbage.
      - ahartmetz 2y ago
        Yes, yes indeed. The nVidia nForce chipset (for AMD) was such a leap ahead because it was fast, flexible and reliable. For Intel, you just picked an Intel chipset and that was that.
      - timschmidt 2y ago
        Speak for yourself, mate! Many fun times were had with machines built by each. I have particularly fond memories of the SiS 630 / 730, Via's KT133A, and lots of old ALi, OPTi and ULi gear from the 286, 386, and 486 era.
- deaddodo 2y ago
  There was a period with quite a few: * Rise: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise_Technology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise_Technology * NexGen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NexGen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NexGen * NatSemi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geode_(processor) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geode_(processor) * WinChip/Centaur: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centaur_Technology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centaur_Technology * NEC: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEC_V20 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEC_V20 And other more obscure options. Most were gobbled up by the other giants (AMD/ATI, Nvidia, Intel, etc).

paulryanrogers 2y ago

Like Cyrix and AMD? I don't recall any other mainstream x86 alternatives.

sgerenser 2y ago
Chipset, not CPU. For example, Nvidia was a well known chipset manufacturer around this time, shortly before memory controllers went on package and 3rd party chipsets died off.
- timschmidt 2y ago
  Don't forget the venerable Via, SiS, Chips and Technologies, OPTi, ALi, ULi, etc.
  - Veliladon 2y ago
    They weren't venerable. They were anything but. They were designed to be a lower BOM on the motherboard and 90% of them were buggy garbage.
    - ahartmetz 2y ago
      Yes, yes indeed. The nVidia nForce chipset (for AMD) was such a leap ahead because it was fast, flexible and reliable. For Intel, you just picked an Intel chipset and that was that.
    - timschmidt 2y ago
      Speak for yourself, mate! Many fun times were had with machines built by each. I have particularly fond memories of the SiS 630 / 730, Via's KT133A, and lots of old ALi, OPTi and ULi gear from the 286, 386, and 486 era.
deaddodo 2y ago
There was a period with quite a few: * Rise: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise_Technology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise_Technology * NexGen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NexGen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NexGen * NatSemi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geode_(processor) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geode_(processor) * WinChip/Centaur: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centaur_Technology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centaur_Technology * NEC: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEC_V20 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEC_V20 And other more obscure options. Most were gobbled up by the other giants (AMD/ATI, Nvidia, Intel, etc).