Intel 3-D platform may lag

Electronic News, Feb 24, 1997 by Andrew MacLellan

Santa Clara, Calif.--Reports are surfacing from Silicon Valley that Intel's much-ballyhooed Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) platform will not be ready for many system OEMs to incorporate the architecture into PCs for the all-important Christmas market, despite assurances from Intel that development of the 440LX AGP core logic chipset is on schedule.

Additionally, word from industry sources indicates Intel may be having trouble meeting its internal deadlines for the Auburn 3-D chip, although whether the purported delay is a result of technical issues or marketing strategy is open to debate.

In both cases, Intel is sticking to the close-mouthed policy it adopts for every unreleased product.

The reports have not yet affected the product plans of those companies designing AGP into their 3-D graphics engines; however, one industry source said Intel last week decided it will issue another iteration of the AGP specification in March, which could force some 3-D houses to alter their implementations.

"My understanding is the delay is with the 440LX chipset which supports AGP," said Charles Boucher, VP of UBS Securities. "We expect to see first silicon in April with volume shipments in Q3, and not especially early in the quarter. It's acceptable in terms of getting the technology into the market, but we don't expect AGP to be a high-volume platform this year."

Intel's AGP strategy was unveiled at last year's WinHEC conference and is intended to augment the PCI bus by establishing a dedicated pipeline for graphics functions and allow texture mapping storage in main memory (EN, April 8, 1996). The venture has generally been regarded as a daunting challenge for Intel, although one which, when met, is expected to further distance the company from its competitors in the chipset arena.

Says 'On Schedule'

According to several analysts, the 440LX chipset had been closely tied to the release of Intel's Klamath processor, which is slated for introduction in 2Q97. An Intel spokesperson would say only that AGP is "still on schedule for the second half of '97."

"The original intent was definitely to launch a consumer-based product in June or July," said Glenn Schuster, marketing director of the Platform Integration group for S3. "They've disconnected the 440LX and Klamath to where they'll launch the Klamath separately and move forward with AGP later."

Graphics chip companies like S3 are eager to tap into AGP's improved bandwidth but say they can absorb a delay because most have built contingencies into their 3-D products.

"The information we're getting is that it (AGP) is slipping toward the end of Q3," said Mr. Schuster. "But our AGP products are designed for either the AGP or PCI buses. OEMs have the ability to go either way, but systems launches are affected pretty dramatically."

"I don't know of any impact," said Gerry Liu, VP of multimedia marketing for Trident Microsystems. "In fact, the delay of AGP in the desktop area has helped us in our position, as the (Trident) 3DImage becomes the only chip which has a set-up engine running with the P55C."

Industry observers expect AGP will ship in select high-end Klamath-based PCs by the end of the year, as well as in systems for the commercial market, which is less reliant on Christmas sales. The consumer PC market, which generally locks in designs early in the year to ensure shelf space for the fall, will probably not benefit from AGP until sometime in 1998, according to sources.

"What this indicates is that people are going to have to depend on local memory for their mainstream 3-D solutions in the back half of the year," said Robert Chaplinsky, senior semiconductor analyst for Hambrecht & Quist. "A lot of mainstream designers probably would have preferred to get the part a little earlier. "You're not going to see as many AGP platforms on the Christmas shelves as we would have liked, but I don't think...it's really going to stall 3-D or stall the rollout of high-performance 3-D graphics."

Complex Issue

While Intel remains mum on the subject, sources close to the company speculate any delay may revolve around the AGP's software drivers, a complex issue which others suspect may be contributing to a delay in the release of the company's 3-D accelerator which is intended for introduction in Q497.

Code-named Auburn, the project is being undertaken by Intel in conjunction with Lockheed Martin subsidiary Real3D and 2-D accelerator chip maker Chips & Technologies. Many see the trio as a formidable entrant into the crowded 3-D arena, although they are also quick to note that Intel has previously, and unsuccessfully, tried to break into this market.

"It's a reasonable conclusion," said UBS Securities' Mr. Boucher of rumors that the Auburn chip is slipping behind schedule. "It's fairly common knowledge in Silicon Valley among the multimedia companies and their customers."

In addition to speculation surrounding the Auburn chip's software drivers, observers posit that Intel may be pushing off the introduction to ensure the 3-D chip competes in high-end systems, giving the company's newly released MMX architecture time to settle into the mainstream market.