The cheapest Core or Pentium chipset is PM 55 that sells for $40 but the netbook ones do sell for significantly less than that. Intel’s NM10 southbridge for netbooks and nettops is selling for $20 but it isn’t packed with features either.
In case you are after SM35, a chipset for Z670 tablet devices, you will have to spend the same sum, a rather saucy $20.
With Atom Z670 priced at sky rocket $75 and SM35 chipset for $20, this definitely shows Intel as most likely the most expensive tablet solution. Chips like Snapdragon, Omap 4 or Tegra 2 are selling for around $10 and they come with most of the chipset parts, all included in the price. Even if the additional logic would set you back additional $10, ARM based solution would end at least three times cheaper compared to Intel’s minimum $95 for two chips.
In case the ARM alliance continues to be as successful as it was over the last two years, Intel will have to reconsider its strategy, especially when it comes to tablet and phone chip pricing.
