Intel kills off the desktop?

[bootman]

I read this news with a little sadness.

semiaccurate.com/2012/11/26/intel-kills-off-the-desktop-pcs-go-with-it/

However, I also see it as a possible boon for AMD assuming it is not too late for them to exploit it.

[PGT]

the desktop is a dwindling breed. My last purchase of one was five years ago while I've bought a few laptops, an All-in-One and tablets since. That said, there will always be hardcore gamers and power users who need the flexibility of a commodity box. I suspect the mobo manufacturers will adapt and use mobile processors instead to fill the void.

[DYohn]

Yea, I read a similar report. Intel claims it's at least partly because their next generation ICs (14nm!!) produce too much heat in a socket mount configuration and the only way to make them perform safely at their peak is by hard mount with integrated heat management systems in the MB. Whether this is the only reason or whether this is just the convenient reason remains to be seen. I do suspect the article's supposition that this means "the death of the enthusiast" and the "death of the desktop" is silly hype. There are always ways, including building daughter boards, to surmount any physical limitation.

[spork]

The decision is not overly surprising, but I do not buy the doom and gloom for the enthusiasts quite yet.

Intel has, for years, developed multiple sockets, one for the mainstream and one for power users. Until Intel confirms otherwise, I highly doubt that any of this will affect their power user socket. Why do I say this? Workstation and server vendors are not going to want to deal with soldered chips.

We've had a pretty good run the past couple of years with the 1155 socket, but I believe people are forgetting that this is the mainstream socket. 2011 and last cycle's 1366 are the current power user sockets. So, with this change, you will now have to deal with a soldered mainstream chip, or you will need to move up to the power user socket. Nothing new here, really, other than the fact that for the past couple of years moving up a socket had little tangible benefit. Now that is changing.

So what does this mean for the enthusiast? Well, perhaps ironically, a dwindling selection of chips to choose from. Even if Intel continues the K-series into the power user socket, you'll likely only have a choice of a 1-2 K-series chips alongside the various server and workstation variants. (Again though, nothing really new here; chip selection has been disappearing for some time.) Secondly, you'll need to pay to play the socket game, at least in regards to the CPUs. Motherboard vendors will likely not charge as much for the 2011 successor boards as there is no enthusiast competition from a lower socket.

Does this decision suck? Yep, but I would wait for the whole picture before giving up all hope.

[bootman]

I think I found the whole picture. (or at least an early glimpse of it)

Intel's NUC (Next Unit of Computing)

www.anandtech.com/show/6444/intels-next-unit-of-computing-hands-on

[creimes]

Love my Mac Mini and Laptop, but my desktop is still my main PC as for the power factor and the useability with keyboard mouse and 24'' screen, plus I play Bad Company 2 from time to time so need the power of video and processing and such......

[PGT]

the ODM's exceeded OEM's with respect to number of processors ordered from Intel in 2012. The old paradigm is dead; its no wonder Intel didn't bother to inform HP, Dell, etc.

[traider79]

Although I have a good laptop and tablet to use. I prefer to use the desktop. so much faster and with 3 24inch screen multitasking is easier. Long live the BOX!

[Deleted]

First of all, semiaccurate is less than accurate at the best of times. This move is for OEM, not the enthusiast market. Our cpu's will still be available, even into broadwell. A quick google search will reveal 20 different websites with 20 different opinions on this subject. This was supposed to happen 5 years ago and didn't. The FCC sued intel for trying to get rid of the PCI-e slot and have to keep it available for the next 7 years. I can't see this going anywhere. They make a ton of money off of the enthusiast market.

If for some reason it does? AMD will stand to make a killing if they play their cards right.

[jlafrenz]

I'm with you guys on the preference of a desktop for most of my work. It is just more comfortable to use. I like the laptop when I'm in the recliner or 2 channel room so I can browse. As far as the audio side, I have 3 desktops and 1 laptop that are all dedicated for music in each individual system. I like the desktop for the looks in this case, but as far as functionality, it doesn't really matter as I can run any of them from my tablet.

[GreenKiwi]

Interesting, I ended up going the other way... my 15" MBP is my workstation at work, and i can bring it home. Just hook it up to a 30" monitor and away I go. And quad code i7 with 16GB of ram is all the horse power I could need. And I do lots with it, video editing, coding, debuging. Amusingly, the worst behavior comes consistently from Firefox and Chrome.

[bobbyt]

The desktop has been dying off for, what, over a decade now? Just like it's been the year that Linux will take over and kill Windows every year since before W7, XP, 2000, 95, etc.

The only people who think desktops are going away are those whose computer use is limited to emailing and fiddling on Facebook...low-demand stuff that lets them get away with the compromises of a laptop (or worse, tablet).

I don't even develop or do really heavy processing, but just manipulating spreadsheets and navigating a dozen applications is a huge pain on a laptop. A docked laptop with a pair of screens and full keyboard/mouse help, but hunching over a notebook is a serious productivity killer.

[vincedog3]

Wow I like this thread, so relevant with the times. I too have not purchased a desktop since 2004 or so and that was a Q6600 Intel CPU and GTX6600 graphics card! More and more I am looking portable on the go! With my iPad and with great apps like go to my pc, etc. I can be anywhere at Emotiva for instance and perform my job anywhere. Even my Android phone has the same app too! So ultimately I don't think I will buy a desktop ever again. My Asus 17.3 i7 most likely will be the most computer I ever need. Changing times indeed. Can't wait for a tweener phone tablet with 8 core processing. No more laptops either. Wow!

[Chuck Elliot]

Although a tablet is a great portable device, the desktop PC is in no danger of being replaced any time soon. The desktop market will shrink because there are many users that just don’t need the power of a desktop, but is a long way from disappearing.

Tablets are great for what they do. I love and use mine all the time, but there is no substitute for a full sized screen(s) and keyboard, which is how I define a desktop. If you are a secretary, accountant, technical writer or other power user type you need this type of interface. That and the sheer raw power to do work. I sure wouldn’t want to create any type of document larger than an e-mail on my iPad nor wait for it to process a video file that can take 30min on a full i7.

Just because Intel has decided to replace the socket CPU with a complete surface mount chipset is of no concern to me. I all the years that I have been building myself PCs, I have never done a CPU upgrade to a PC unless I was also replacing the motherboard. The technical advantages of doing a complete surface mount chipset far outweigh the constraints. Gigabyte and friends will just buy the complete chipsets from Intel and still design their own motherboards.

[Deleted]

It's all been a rumor, intel already made a statement that it was not true. AMD was pretty quick to say that they'll always have a removable CPU for enthusiasts lol. Good for them! Intel has said they will always have them also for the pc geeks! lol

[garbulky]

Wait what? How is this possible? No separate chips?
...................
what?!

[Chuck Elliot]

See: www.electronista.com/articles/12/12/06/chip.maker.to.remain.committed.in.offering.lga.processors/

[garbulky]

Sorry, I should have read the rest of the posts. ;D I knew there was something weird about that. After all, it's intel. They ARE the removable processor!