According to SIG Equity Research, confirming earlier speculation, Nvidia could announce its Intel chipset as early as the first quarter of 2004. But, said the firm in a report to its customers, Nvidia may not need to get its licence direct from Intel, but because of its manufacturing agreement with IBM could get a front side bus licence as Big Blue is close to Intel as well.

That way, reckons the firm, Nvidia could miss out paying the $5 royalty everyone else has to pay, but would have to make its chipsets using the IBM foundry.

Read more: The Inquirer.