Intel yesterday introduced a series of BTX (Balanced Technology Extended)-compatible products, including boxed processors, thermal modules, motherboards, chassis and power supplies in Taipei. The products will be sold worldwide through channel distribution.
Previously, BTX-based PCs had only been available from OEMs, but with the release of these boxed BTX-compatible products, worldwide channel customers can now provide BTX systems as well, according to an Intel press release.
With support from a number of leading vendors and OEM makers, Intel expects the BTX form factor to become the mainstream for the PC industry by 2006, said Stanley Huang, Intel’s director of marketing and business management for the Asia Pacific region.
Some sources at Taiwan makers of small-form-factor (SFF) systems said that the introduction of the BTX form factor systems may negatively affect the future development of SFF systems.
However, sources at Shuttle Computer, the leading designer and manufacturer of small-form-factor (SFF) computers, said that the impact of BTX form factor system on sales of its SFF PCs, the XPC line, will be limited. The sources said that Shuttle will also cooperate with Intel to develop and market BTX-compatible systems.