Threads
- Intel is struggling to secure AIB partners even with its 2nd generation of graphics cards.
- Nvidia is reportedly warning all its AIB partners to refrain from partnering with Intel.
- Nvidia’s list of old scandals with ex-partners like XFX & EVGA makes the rumors more believable.
Intel has been in the CPU manufacturing business for far too long and has recently entered the graphics card market space with its Arc GPUs. However, their new venture didn’t go as planned; the Alchemist graphics cards were plagued with broken driver support. Issues like unusable supported features and extremely low performance in games were present, especially in DX9 titles. Fortunately, Intel immediately started to address these performance issues and overhaul driver optimization completely.
The Return Of Budget Banger GPU
For a while, budget graphics cards have been quite disappointing, and offerings from AMD and Nvidia were underwhelming. However, we can finally see the rise of great budget graphics cards once again as Intel has released its Battlemage graphics cards. They have leveled up their game, and these cards are getting a lot of attention, especially the Intel Arc B580, which is giving strict competition to AMD and Nvidia. As seen in our B580 review, it not only tops the RX 7600 XT and RTX 4060 in performance but also takes leverage in terms of better pricing with its $250 MSRP.
However, even after the positive reception this time around, we’re struggling to see the variants from known AIB partners such as ASUS, MSI, or Gigabyte. Now the question arises: why is such a giant and well-known company having trouble finding AIB partners? Is it because of the Intel itself, or is something else becoming a hindrance?
Nvidia’s Potential Involvement
One of the major reasons behind Intel’s lack of AIB partners might be due to Nvidia, from what we have seen online and according to the report given by the reputed Russian YouTuber, PRO Hi-Tech. It suggests that Nvidia may have a hand in this. According to the rumors, Nvidia is trying to pressure its AIB partners to not work with Intel at all and stay exclusively in touch with Nvidia. This is far worse than the case with AMD, where the AIB partners are not allowed to offer AMD their top variants, such as AORUS Xtreme & ROG Strix.
While the AIB partners do want to work with Intel and manufacture GPUs for them, Nvidia seems to be becoming the problem here. Besides these known GPU manufacturers, it appears Nvidia isn’t done yet, as they have threatened their Chinese AIB partners from collaborating with Intel at all. Otherwise, they can face a chip supply shortage or a complete ban altogether.
Why The Rumors Could Be True?
Why believe these rumors? That’s one big question and can only be addressed with an official statement. However, if we look at the history of Nvidia’s shady behavior, especially how it treats its AIB partners, the rumors seem to look more believable. Let’s take XFX for example. Back in the early 2000s era, XFX was one of the top AIB partners that was loved by the consumers. However, when XFX showed interest in partnering with AMD to reach a more diverse market, Nvidia didn’t seem to like it much. As a result, XFX ended its ties with Nvidia back in 2009 and partnered with AMD.
Skipping to September 2022, we came across yet another AIB partner being done with Nvidia’s strict business policies. This time, it was EVGA, which was a long-term Nvidia-exclusive AIB partner. In their defense, EVGA said that lack of communication regarding upcoming product information and minimal profit margins were the major reasons behind the termination of their partnership with Nvidia, as seen in our coverage.
They also stated that they aim to work independently from now on and would be better off as one. This was quite a shocker for the whole industry, including EVGA & Nvidia fans.
Such Practices Aren’t Welcome
Looking at all the rumors and Nvidia’s past anti-consumer and anti-business practices, we’re left with nothing but to believe these rumors after all, as they also come from reputable sources. However, it would be better for Nvidia to allow Intel to play on fair ground and not create hurdles for which it is being accused. Not to mention, these shady practices don’t suit such a giant & mature company as well.
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[Hardware Reviewer]
Awais Khan is a Tech Geek, conscientious, reliable, and hardworking individual who pays attention to detail with excellent time management skills. Alongside that, he is an expert in PC Hardware; dealing with Benchmarks, Analysis, and testing before sharing information with readers. Whenever free, Awais occasionally shares Gaming Videos on his YouTube Channel.
Get In Touch: awais@tech4gamers.com
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