Thanx to Sake, Dennet en Erik die mij per mail op de hoogte brachten dat ome Tom een Athlon mobo review in elkaar geknutseld heeft. De testresultaten uit de review zijn weinig opwindend, want alle borden draaiden stabiel en presteerden vrijwel gelijk. Wel weet Tom een ware conspiracy theorie op te hangen aan het feit dat er op dit moment slechts 3 moederplank fabrikanten met een Athlon bord op de proppen zijn gekomen:
Let's pick three examples, Abit, Asus and FIC. Abit already announced that they won't do Athlon-motherboards. Does that surprise anyone? Abit never made any Super7-boards as well. It doesn't seem too unlikely that Abit wants to stay on good terms with Intel. Asus is the next and saddest example. I know for a fact that Asus has designed a highly excellent Athlon-motherboard. However, who expected Asus at the launch-event in Taiwan last week waited in vain. Asus is chicken, they could easily supply Athlon-boards, but they are afraid of Intel's reaction. Well, well. Example number three is FIC. FIC has got a relationship with Intel too, they are actually a significantly big customer for Intel chipsets. However, FIC belongs just as VIA to the Formosa Plastic empire, and thus FIC used to be one of the first to supply motherboards with VIA and thus non-Intel chipsets. FIC doesn't have the slightest problem with launching their Athlon-motherboard. They weren't afraid of Intel in the past and they're not afraid of them now as well. That's the spirit, dear readers! Asus is one of the very best motherboard makers in the world, but being afraid of Intel doesn't score them any points with me.
