CE-Oh no he didn't! Part LV: NVIDIA boss says "We're going to open a can of whoop-ass" on Intel

Looks like Intel's plans to enter the graphics space in a big way with its Nehalem and Larrabee lines strike NVIDIA CEO Jen Hsun-Huang as being rather foolish -- in a conference call with analysts today, Huang said Intel's integrated graphics offerings were "a joke," and that even a tenfold increase in performance would put them behind NVIDIA's current products. Huang didn't stop there, saying that NVIDIA was "going to open a can of whoop-ass," and that while Intel's graphics chips were fine for running Office, they would never cut it for gamers and other demanding users. Huang kept going, responding to questions about all those driver-related Vista crashes by saying that NVIDIA had to support new games weekly while Intel's chips aren't ever put to the test. Actually, that's toning it down a bit -- what Huang actually said was "You already have the right machine to run Excel. You bought it four years ago... How much faster can you render the blue screen of death?" Yeah, them's fightin' words -- you going to sit there and take it, Intel?

[Thanks, Mike A.]

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Apr 10th 2008 9:11PM]

If only we could see it! Man...

[Mike10010100 @ Apr 10th 2008 9:24PM]

Wow. This is going to be an intense bunch of comments. Shields up, phasers at maximum. This is going to be a bumpy ride.


INCOMING NVIDIA!
"We are the BORG, lower your shields and surrender your vessels, or we will OPEN UP A CAN OF WHOOP-ASS!"

[Aguiluz @ Apr 10th 2008 9:56PM]

I tried scouring the net for the video. Found none. :-(

Any soul there who caught it on tape?

[Wisam @ Apr 10th 2008 10:11PM]

I would give half of my life just to see that video. Engadget!!!!!
Mike10010100 you made my night :)

[Steve @ Apr 10th 2008 10:30PM]

Anyone else think that pic looks eerily like a young Kim Jong -Il?

[Timmy @ Apr 11th 2008 12:28PM]

@steve
I thought the same thing and that he was threatening Intel with a refreshing Andes mint chocolate.

[Syntax Error @ Apr 10th 2008 9:13PM]

Don't worry, Nvidia will just push for 8x SLI to "advance" graphics technology.

Now all I need is a new mobo, new PSU, bigger case, more fans...and 7 more graphics cards.

[Ruben @ Apr 10th 2008 11:55PM]

Then why is it that Intel (with their amazing integrated cores) and ATI havnt surpassed Nvidia in terms of single card performance? (ATI takes the lead every now and then, i know, but the point still stands)

There is obviously a limit in how much a graphics maker can put into a single processor. The only way to alleviate that is through the use of a second card (just like a second CPU socket to alleviate the strain on a single chip) for a short term solution.

Until the next generation comes out, this is the only way to increase performance. They cant make a processor that they dont know how to make yet, so why not give you the option to SLI or Crossfire to give you an extra push.

If you want it, then get it, otherwise, live with the industry wide max that is in place for graphics cores.

[Syntax Error @ Apr 11th 2008 12:13AM]

Because SLI is a farce that requires buggy and hot motherboards (680i, I'm looking at you) that costs a lot more than a true "high-end" card. The problem with the market as of this moment is that there isn't really any leaps and bounds in technological improvement. Now I'm not saying simply "just make better cards", but when Nvidia is rather more complacent of pushing G92, which was a welcome improvement in temperatures and performance value in the 8800GT, is used in the supposed "high-end" that is the 9800GTX (which is priced in a way that is encouraging multi-GPU) and the ridiculous card that is the 9800GX2, which is just an amalgamation of current technology in a new "high-end" card, when it really isn't that groundbreaking.

The high-end isn't being focused on right now, it's all about the mid-range (9600GT, 8800GT), and I'm fine with that, because the supposed "high-end" Nvidia purports to have really isn't that much better for much higher cost.

That's why they want you to buy more than one product when you really don't need it; not to mention SLI's shortcomings in scalability in a lot of games, not to mention the crappy performance increases seen in Tri-SLI, it's not that appealing for a "sometimes working" Multi-GPU setup.

[Andir3.0 @ Apr 11th 2008 8:25AM]

Also, I'm pretty sure we are at that point when they have to make better scalable processors. We are getting almost too small for silicon and I think Intel has a point in making multiple core processors and pushing for raytracing or hybrid rendering as being the immediate future. Programming shaders and raster graphics engines is no picnic where RT is quite simple, straightforward, and scalable.

Sure, the first push into this field is going to be a little lackluster... but give it a few years and I think it will have a very steep improvement curve.

[404error @ Apr 10th 2008 9:13PM]

Wow, what a badass CEO.

[Aguiluz @ Apr 10th 2008 9:46PM]

Yeah, and a Big Mouthed one too.

[Chebwa @ Apr 10th 2008 10:01PM]

"A can of whoop ass."

Either he is a bad ass, or a fucking idiot trying to sound edgy.

The latter, I think.

[IndiaTech @ Apr 10th 2008 10:24PM]

Not as bad ass as Steve Ballmer...

[ManekiNeko @ Apr 10th 2008 10:28PM]

Nah, he's just bad. And an ass.

[Dan @ Apr 10th 2008 11:49PM]

If I were to run a company...
I'd want him as my CEO.....

[Bernhard @ Apr 10th 2008 9:14PM]

People in North Korea would be glad to even have a computer with integrated graphics. Oh wait, that's not Kim Jong Il.

[Kyle Kersh @ Apr 10th 2008 9:46PM]

Rofl! I thought the exact same thing.

[phanbouy @ Apr 10th 2008 9:58PM]

he's so ronery

[Zeus.:God @ Apr 10th 2008 10:25PM]

Tru dat, Rooby Doo.

[Jordan @ Apr 11th 2008 12:47AM]

You know what they say, they all look the same.

[Richard Lai @ Apr 11th 2008 9:20AM]

Bernhard: I thought the same too. And I'm also East Asian.

[thedesolate1 @ Apr 10th 2008 9:14PM]

Oh shit this sounds great. Competition = Consumers FTW! I have to totally agree with him and lmao at the BSOD reference. Nvidia is going scrape the motherboard with Intel's face.

[Ignatius @ Apr 10th 2008 9:20PM]

Just if all of Nvidia's drivers issues with Vista didn't cause the same problem.

Though, the beta drivers... thems I like.

[Cal @ Apr 11th 2008 9:53AM]

Well the beta drivers no like me, I find the official ones have less serious errors and crashes

[mcheddadi @ Apr 10th 2008 9:15PM]

I stopped buying graphic cards in the 90s, now I buy consoles.

[Will @ Apr 10th 2008 9:58PM]

And that's why PC gamers today are stuck with games that have been dumbed down to play on console controllers. Thanks a bunch!

[Shaun @ Apr 10th 2008 10:18PM]

Will,

What do you mean? The last time I checked Console gamers and PC gamers couldn't play together.

And any day, I'll choose a $500 dollar console that will last 6 to 7 years, instead of having to upgrade my PC every 2 years, only to get pwned by some noob who uses a $15 hack, and plays CoD4 on his notebook with integrated graphics, while watching TV.

[Will @ Apr 10th 2008 11:03PM]

I'm referring to games like BioShock that while not *bad*, could have been better if they hadn't been design in such a way that they could be played on an Xbox. When something is designed from the ground up to be played on a keyboard and mouse, it gives a better experience for people playing with that. But when it has to work on a gamepad, features are inevitably not included, controls are clumsier, and it just doesn't turn out as perfectly as a PC only game could have.

The obsession with cross platform game development makes sense from a financial point of view, but games designed to be played one way or the other usually turn out better, without some careful tuning. For and fairly recent example (though downgraded in the other direction), look at Unreal Tournament 3. It was designed for PC, but happens to have a PS3 (and maybe 360 soon) versions, which play somewhat differently. The whole game is slowed down because the controls are less accurate, and UT is a series that derives most of its fun from the speed and twitch reflexes.

[whatphone @ Apr 11th 2008 5:25AM]

FYI: UT-3 for PS3 is playable with Keyboard and mouse

[Duke 2 @ Apr 11th 2008 11:01AM]

@Will

Wow man. "Bioshock not *bad* on PC?" Are you kidding? I have pretty high standard myself, but if you didn't think Bioshock kicked serious @ss on PC, then I'd love to know what game on the planet did hit your standards??

I think alot of people had bad experiences with GPU (and CPU) intensive games like Bioshock, cuz they simply didn't have a beefy enough PC to handle it. People with integrated cards are somehow offended that the game crashes after the opening sequence and even those who have anything less than a discrete 8600GT, get all bent out of shape having to lower all the settings to be able to play on PC.

So with a game like that using more of the potential horsepower of even a high-end PC than most, I totally don't buy into your assertion that Bioshock was handicapped BECAUSE it was also released on console?? Bioshock was made for PC first- plain and simple... and the fact that many had to go out and buy a bleeding edge PC just to run the damn game is testament to the fact that the developers made the conscious decision NOT to cater to the masses by dumbing down the game.

Give me a break- lol :)

[alexmueller @ Apr 11th 2008 11:44AM]

Not everyone plays FPS, some of us actually like a more compelling game experience then running around aimlessly shooting at things.

[lartmander @ Apr 10th 2008 9:18PM]

Don't underestimate the impact of Intel... but hey, its nice to see competition driving others to be better :)

[adrian @ Apr 11th 2008 4:04PM]

I agree, Intel maybe a novice in this area, but they have the capital to take on the might of NVIDIA, they could even buy them out, if they wanted to, Jen Hsun-Huang should remember that. I do like the fighting talk, though.

[Erwos @ Apr 10th 2008 9:18PM]

Sounds like someone might have done a little too much drinking...

[Eric @ Apr 10th 2008 9:18PM]

who else imagines him saying "going to open a can of whoop-ass," with a really funny asian accent?

[tabascoishot @ Apr 11th 2008 9:24AM]

Uh... not me.

[ryanlerch @ Apr 10th 2008 10:40PM]

oh oh oh, i did.
:P

[willferal @ Apr 10th 2008 11:37PM]

Too bad he doesn't have a fobby accent or anything, but I only knew that from having previously heard an interview with him.

[Eh @ Apr 10th 2008 9:21PM]

Intel is currently thinking up a good yo mama comeback

[Labrador @ Apr 10th 2008 10:04PM]

In ten years discrete graphics cards will be like discrete sound cards today. Something only found in high end gaming rigs and probably useless even there.

[Jim @ Apr 10th 2008 10:16PM]

Yeah..problem is people were saying that in 1997.

CUDA is the future, anyway.

[Ruben @ Apr 10th 2008 11:25PM]

No it wont.

You seem to think that graphics will get to the point where it wont advance anymore, therefore, graphics cards of today will shrink to the point where they can be integrated into a northbridge or small enough to be integrated into a CPU.

When something like that happens, discrete graphic cards, like it is the case today, will be 10x more powerful in a discrete form than their integrated counterparts when that time comes.

And comparing graphics to sound is just silly. Really silly. Sound is simple to process. Graphics is far from it. Thats why there isnt a CPU that can do what a discrete graphics card can. Not even the precious Cell. Not by a long shot.

[Khris @ Apr 10th 2008 9:24PM]

"How much faster can you render the blue screen of death?"

HAHAHAHA! Best quote ever!!

[ace_spades @ Apr 10th 2008 9:46PM]

I know. This quote is going straight to my email sig! (unless they have a sig option here, in which case, I better find it!)

[sevendegrees @ Apr 10th 2008 9:26PM]

How much faster can you render the blue screen of death?

thats gotta be one of my favorite computer related quotes now

[Doug @ Apr 10th 2008 9:31PM]

Ahahaha, Maybe AMD/ATI should gang up with Intel to take out NVIDIA... Or vise versa if that would work haha! I LOVE A GOOD ROAST!!

[DiscoCat5 @ Apr 11th 2008 6:57AM]

hahahah was that " i love a good rast" comment from Liar Liar? cos if it was yes that is hilarious yes.

[Doug @ Apr 10th 2008 9:36PM]

Intel's response is as follows;

INTEL: How are you gentlemen !!
INTEL: All your base are belong to us.
INTEL: You are on the way to destruction.

Nvidia: What you say !!

INTEL: You have no chance to survive make your time.
INTEL: Ha Ha Ha Ha ....


WOW GFG!

[andres @ Apr 10th 2008 9:40PM]

Nvidia: for great justice, take off every zig