(Nikkei BP Group)
(No.1 High-Tech News Site in Japanese)
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| Demand Rises for Socket 7 Motherboards
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August 18, 1998 (TAIPEI) -- Improved yields of Advanced Micro Devices
Inc.'s K6-2 processor and IBM Corp.'s participation in the OEM processor
market are both driving up demand for socket 7 motherboards with a 100
MHz external-clock rate.
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In addition to Acer Laboratory Inc. and Via Technology Inc., which began
production of these motherboards in May, Asustek Computer Inc. and Gigabyte
Technology Co., Ltd. are also taking the plunge into the market.
Smaller manufacturers, such as Soyo Computer Inc., Epox Computer Corp.
and Micomp Technology Corp., are feeling the threat from these major
competitors.
Feng Yuan-jun, vice general manager of Soyo Computer, indicated that
the socket 7 100 MHz external-clock motherboards are proving tough competition
for Intel Corp.'s Slot 1 Pentium II 266 MHz and 300 MHz motherboards.
Other manufacturers said that the new product is even superior to Celeron
motherboards.
The sharp growth in demand for the socket 7 product is the best evidence,
said Feng.
Asustek Computer will begin producing socket 7 motherboards code-named
"P5A" and "P5A-B." Gigabyte Technology will make its debut by launching
its GA-5AX model.
Both companies plan to adopt Acer Laboratory's Aladdin 5 chip sets.
Gigabyte vice general manager Ma Meng-ming pointed out that his company
has long been developing the socket 7 motherboard, and now, with the
chip set problem resolved, the company will devote 30 percent of its
output to the product.
He added that in the future, Gigabyte is considering launching products
that are installed with chip sets made by Silicon Integrated System
Corp.
(Commercial Times, Taiwan)
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