Intel Cancels Larrabee Graphics Chip
PrintIntel said today that it’s much hyped Larrabee graphics chip won’t be happening after all. The Larrabee GPU will exist only as a software development platform for the time being. According to Intel spokesman Nick Knupffer, "Larrabee silicon and software development are behind where we hoped to be at this point in the project. As a result, our first Larrabee product will not be launched as a standalone discrete graphics product.”
The Larrabee chip has already been delayed repeatedly, so this news isn’t entirely surprising. There have been indications of trouble ever since Larrabee missed its original debut in 2008. A recent demo of the chip at SC09 highlighted lackluster performance one wouldn’t expect after such a long development. It would have been Intel’s first standalone graphics part in over a decade, but now is little more than a sore spot.
Intel gave no clear guidelines on when the SDK can be expected, just sometime in 2010. The cancellation of Larrabee has no bearing on Intel’s upcoming hardware graphics solution for the Atom “Pine Trail” chip. Pine Trail will have graphics processing integrated in the CPU. Oh well Intel, you’ll always have Atom.
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Spartacus
December 06, 2009 at 10:58pm
Those Pentium 4's really suck. I just bought myself an Athlon XP, it's great!
;D
Intel does indeed suck at graphics though. Their CPU's are great. AMD makes good CPU's too. Larrabee didn't look worthwile to enthusiasts. There's not much more to say about it really.
Quakindude
December 06, 2009 at 4:16am
This really shouldn't surprise anyone who stays up with computer components.
Prediction: In 3-5 years, ATI will be raking in money along with AMD for implementing a similar product. Intel will suddenly bring it's own product to market while saying, "Back in 2010, it just wasn't a viable design. But we never stopped researching and doing in-house implementations of this. Now that the market has matured enough though, we are ready to introduce *insert new name here*."
There's not enough money to be made from how expensive Intel has figured Larabee to cost them right now. But once someone else takes the plunge and all the risks of market rejection are mitigated, Intel will release their product and it will suck just as Intel graphics always have for even the casual gamer.
MaximumPC Moderator
***The views I express are my own and do not represent the views of MaximumPC Magazine or Future US.***
barchu02
December 05, 2009 at 6:15pm
Oh well we dont need another graphics chip on the market! We already have Nvidia and ATI, besides no matter what intel makes it will be grossly over priced.
Caboose
December 05, 2009 at 7:32pm
And disgustingly sucky
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
Slugbait
December 05, 2009 at 1:08pm
Was just thinking six months ago that we were looking at another BitBoys project...
gendoikari1
December 05, 2009 at 9:38pm
Except BitBoys said that Glaze3D was actually going to be good...
Havok
December 05, 2009 at 11:55am
Coming in at number 11 on Maximum PC's Most Overhyped and Undelivered: Top 10 Vaporware Letdowns of 2009 is
11. Larrabee
It looks like Intel is still dedicated to giving you graphics "just good enough."
2010 forecast: It would be more likely for Microsoft to merge with Apple than Larrabee to see the light of day.
CLICK.
nekollx
December 07, 2009 at 10:27am
Applesoft?
Micropple?
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
gendoikari1
December 08, 2009 at 5:22pm
Mac OS 11 Home Premium, Business and Ultimate?
iBox?
zunePod?
nekollx
December 08, 2009 at 5:24pm
"I'm a PC, I'm also a PC" commercials
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
JohnP
December 05, 2009 at 8:31am
Intel would to have to had put serious muscle into try to compete with the big boys, NVidia, AMD/ATI, and Via. HOWEVER, this does leave an opening for Intel to partner with someone. ATI is out, so it is left to NVidia and Via. Via is small potatoes so that leaves...
Now, would it make sense for Intel to partner up with NVidia even with all of the actimony that has gone before.
1. Nvida get early access to Intel CPU and chipsets leaving ATI in the dust.
2. NVida gets to add their chipset experience to to Intel.
3. Intel gets a really high class graphics product that could easily be added directly to silicon.
4. NVidia get access to Intel amazing FAB factories.
5. Intel gets to shaft ATI by putting NVidia graphics directly on the mobos with ATI to go play only with AMD chips (which are not selling so hot). So Intel gets to shaft AMD AND ATI at the same time.
6. Intel can get access to a great ION chipset to go with thier ATOM processors and OWN the netbook market.
Oh the possibilities! And Intel can afford to play hardball with the NVidia stockholders so Intel will "make them an offer they cannot refuse".
TechJunkie
December 05, 2009 at 6:11pm
Get a grip. The only one who should get shafted is Insmell. Why? The 1.25 billion it paid to AMD for unjust business practices against AMD/ATI that I'm sure is still going on, that's why! Plus Insmell and Nvidia aren't on good terms at the moment so I really don't see this happenin'.
Caboose
December 05, 2009 at 2:04pm
Don't forget, that was tried once already and failed. Insmell and nVidia tried to join forces, but it failed terribly, and with how much they hate eachother it seems, I don't see it happening ever!
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
Cruzg10
December 05, 2009 at 12:58am
After Intels press release, ATI released the new ATI Catalyst drivers containing an upgraded version of "Smug superiority"
B10H4Z4RD
December 04, 2009 at 10:06pm
Am i allowed to swear on these posts? this is rediculus [HOW DO U SPELL REDICULUS] i was actually really exited for this.....why have you failed me Intel...WHY?~!?!?!
______________________________________________________________________
On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero. Chuck Palahniuk, FIght Club.
Intel Q6600@3.2
ASUS P5N-D
Nvidia8800GTS 640MB
gendoikari1
December 05, 2009 at 7:09am
You were excited for a 2006-era GPU in 2009-2010?
And by the way, "ridiculous".
Caboose
December 05, 2009 at 2:01pm
an INTEL 2006-era GPU don't forget. So it's no wonder when it was demo'd it sucked big hairy ballsack!
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
gendoikari1
December 05, 2009 at 5:13pm
Their 2009 GPUs are jaw-droppingly bad, but their 2006 ones would make a Voodoo I card look like two 5970s in Crossfire.
DOOMHAMMA
December 04, 2009 at 9:49pm
The longer we keep anti-competitive Intel out of graphics, the better :p
Blaze589
December 04, 2009 at 9:18pm
I figure that this means the PS4 won't be getting the Larabee GPU. This is good news as I really felt it was best if the PS4 had a AMD or Nvidia chip for the best graphics. Larabee would've never been as good out of the gate.
MeTo
December 04, 2009 at 8:27pm
Look's like ATI will have the last laugh. Sorry Intel sorry nVidia NOT!
Jeffredo
December 06, 2009 at 8:41am
They're not dead yet and ATI doesn't have the market sewn up. Wait til March before you make you proclaimation.
MeTo
December 06, 2009 at 9:11am
In the CPU/GPU market what count's is what you have now. Every body has something better coming out later or so they say.
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