Although Intel will adopt a system on chip (SoC) form factor for Haswell processors used in ultrabooks, the Haswell processors for the desktop segment will not adopt the same strategy until 2014; instead, Intel will gradually integrate more chipset functions into the processor and such a move could cause motherboard designs to become less differentiated.
Motherboard players have already turned their focuses to added functions such as USB and Thunderbolt interfaces as well as BIOS firmware features and new software applications to differentiate their products.
Several second-tier motherboard makers to leave market in late 2013?
Posted on Thursday, September 27 2012 @ 9:03 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck