Sometimes, it's about who has the most hardware. Today, nVidia has the one-up on ATI, who still use ULi southbridges in motherboards based on the Radeon Xpress chipsets, ATI's newest venture that is still treading on thin ice. nVidia is going to cease sales of the ULi line shortly, following their acquisition of ULi last year. While not an immediate problem for ATI, it could soon become one:
Local motherboard makers predict that only first tier motherboard makes such as Asustek Computer and Elite Group Computer Systems (ECS) can maintain normal motherboard shipments based on ATI solutions, as the current ATI inventory of 100,000 southbridge chips should provide enough supply. Second-tier players will find it difficult to maintain steady shipments of ATI-based solutions from June, the players noted.
ATI declined comment. It's probable that we may see an ATI/SiS or ATI/VIA combo in the future. Or, further development from ATI.