After being slammed with a $1.45 billion dollar antitrust fine last week by the European Comission, Intel insisted its extensive manufacturer rebates were the result of "a highly competitive marketplace [in which we can pass] along to consumers everywhere the efficiencies of being the world's leading volume manufacturer of microprocessors" -- in other words, "all's fair in processor wars".

The action seemed praised industry-wide in any case, and now AMD isn't the only one opposed to Intel's methodology -- NVIDIA has taken up issue as well. The graphics chip maker's CEO Jen-Hsun Huang told Reuters today its netbook CPU pricing (for the Atom) was "unfair", leaving little room for them to push their graphics hardware to netbook consumers. He tells us they sell the Atom for $45 to manufacturers, or a three-chip set for $25 to decrease competition.

"That seems pretty unfair," he says. "We ought to be able to compete and serve that market."

"I hope it doesn't come down to [legal action]. We have to do whatever we have to do when the time comes. We really hope this company (Intel) will compete on a fair basis."

Meanwhile Intel continues with its usual insistences:

"We compete fairly," says spokesman Bill Calder. "We do not force bundles on any computer makers and customers can purchase Atom individually or as part of the bundle. If you want to purchase the chip set, obviously there is better pricing."

Calder states it as though there are corporations which do force manufacturers to buy their product, and this is the only way by which to be anti-competitive. As NVIDIA do, we hope they come to their senses.