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Rumour control: Mass lay-offs at Abit prompt exit from enthusiast market
Sources say that most of the Fatal1ty motherboard team have now moved to Foxconn and Biostar
While it now seems common practice to strike a deal with Jonathan ‘Fatal1ty’ Wendel when you’ve got a high-end product covered in red LEDs, the first company to do so was Abit when it announced the Fatal1ty AA8 back in 2004. This signalled Abit’s commitment to making high-end enthusiast motherboards, but Custom PC has been informed that recent mass lay-offs at Abit could signal an end to the company’s role in the high-end motherboard business.
Speaking to Custom PC, a source close to Abit said that the company has ‘laid off many staff from various departments within its HQ based in Taiwan.’ According to our source, the lay-offs were the result of the Abit brand being bought by Universal Scientific Industrial in 2006, which resulted in ‘most of the original Abit support and admin staff’ being laid off.
Back then, Universal Scientific Industrial apparently decided to keep on the Abit marketing team and the ‘key engineers needed to continue making high-end to mainstream motherboards.’ However, come July 2008, our source claims that ‘most of the Research and Development team have been laid off, and between 3-4 people from almost every engineering department from Quality Control to Field Application Engineers too.’ Our source also added that this includes ‘everyone from the previous team who designed the likes of the MAX and Fatal1ty series that many enthusiasts grew to love.’
According to our source, some of these guys joined the teams at Biostar and Foxconn, and the latter has certainly made its presence felt in the enthusiast motherboard market with high-end motherboards such as the Mars. Interestingly, our source also suggested that this could signal Abit’s exit from the motherboard market in general, saying that Abit could now conduct a ‘subtle shift to align itself more closely with what USI can make easily, namely: notebooks, UMPCs and photo frames.’
Would you miss Abit if it left the motherboard business? What did you think of Abit’s Fatal1ty motherboards? Let us know your thoughts.
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Funny you don't mention the actual source of the infomation, I just wonder if these comments are not true just stupid rumors & if Abit's sales fall maybe they might sue for liable damages for loss of income due to posting false statements?
Comment by Nelly at 11:59pm 13th August 2008
When CONROE first came out, ABIT was the last to introduce a new motherboard. The came out with the AW9D/MAX series and showed the PC world what it was all about. The IP35 PRO is still the best motherboard in any class. ABIT is always the last to leave the starting gate yet in the end, always wins the race.
Comment by chuck4456 at 4:09pm 13th August 2008
Move along, nothing new to see here.... This is just another rehash of an old story. Rumours of abit's demise have been going on for a couple years and all they do is continue to put out Motherboards that are best in class. Slow to market?? yes they are, but thats not always a bad thing. Mr. Ben Hardwidge, try to find something original to write about next time, ok??
Comment by Lvcoyote at 6:03am 13th August 2008
I've owned Abit boards from back in the day of the BH6, VP6 & many others of the early days right up to present day baords such as the NF7, AN7, AN8, AN9, IP35E, IP35Pro, AX78, IX38QGT. All have served me well & have been great OverClockers. Even took 1st place in at OCZ memory contest with the AN7, witch OCZ didn't honer being I was running Crosair memoery to win there contest & an Abit board. People alway hate what is better that what they have & is why you see so many hate messages abou Abit & its products. roflol Don't hate & get what's great! I don't think there going any were anytime soon. ;-) Cya around the Abit forum.
Comment by TheWolf at 4:10am 13th August 2008
i personally feel that it's abit management foolishness who agreed to merge with USI.But also what's the problem with USI buying over abit but not making motherboards.i hope that abit wise up and pulls out of USI and continue making boards but it may take years as engineers team have fleed to biostar and foxconn.
Comment by steelrain2 at 7:10pm 11th August 2008
I've bought several computers since 1979, and built many more professionally since 1989. Abit's early intel chipset boards were horrible. I had numerous repair calls caused by their designs failing. Today it seems that too few people have ever used a truly stable computer. A stable system that works reliably for the useful lifetime of the computer is better for most people. Offering a ton of toy features that don't provide much in the way of real benefits is not a good long term business for more than a few companies. The systems I integrate don't experience BSODs. Many times the BSODs blamed on Windows are caused by poorly implemented components. In particular, the power supply, mainboard, and video card. I lost money using Abit products and have not recommended or used them ever since that time. I feel for the displaced workers, but, I'm not sad to see Abit getting out of mainboards. I'm in the U.S., perhaps the products in the UK were better. I don't know, but, here in the States Abits service and product quality were not good.
Comment by Daniel at 6:50pm 11th August 2008
I'm really not a fan of ABIT mobo's, brought one, an IP35, nothing but trouble!!! Reading through differing forums only reinforced this opinion...it's all about survival of the fittest and ABIT, IMO, are not fit at all. Harsh I know, but the hours I spent sorting the board, I will never get back....
Comment by Clockedtohell at 9:58am 11th August 2008
With rumours of Nvidia leaving the motherboard scene behind, this is another blow for the enthusiast market. I never bought an Abit board, but it is always good to have choice.
Comment by gavomatic57 at 6:32pm 9th August 2008
I used to run an NF7-S and loved it for its capabilities but when it came time for me to upgrade my gaming PC I felt no choice but to change brands because of the Fatal1ty branding which IMO ruined the Abit image. Fatal1ty, I seem to remember was World champion at a game that had only had a limited release and remains an unpopular online game. Seemed like really bad marketing that left adults and free thinkers thinking about something else, from a company that doesn't need us to wear a t-shirt with its logo on it, or the name of a hyped up gamer to feel successful.
Comment by Humwawa at 12:06pm 9th August 2008
mass layoffs... with all them people gone nows my chance, time to dust off my c.v
Comment by snake668 at 5:03am 9th August 2008
mass layoffs... with all them people gone nows my chance, to dust off my c.v
Comment by snake668 at 5:03am 9th August 2008
but they looked ok and reviews looked good and seemed to perform well but like the other guy said whats the point of buying a MB maker and then stop doing boards
Comment by damafia at 5:37pm 8th August 2008
I've had a few different Abit boards and have never had a problem. My latest is an Abit IX38 Quad GT, and it overclocks well and seems a good board. As others have said, there are plenty of good manufacturers producing quality motherbaords so I think Abit (or USI) will be the only loser in this.
Comment by paulgreyhead at 4:03pm 8th August 2008
it is sad that A-bit will be relegated to producing digital picture frames - I don't really see the point of buying a m/b manufacturer then halting it altogether and making it another factory for picture frames. I did have an A-bit s754 board which was pretty damn good, but since then I've been buying Foxconn boards as I can get good o/c's from them, they're stable and reasonably priced - sorry but I wouln't spend £150+ on a m/b unless it's dual CPU - but on the other hand, hopefully it means Foxconn & Biostar will now start making even better m/b's so in a way it's actually very good news for consumers
Comment by EdArch at 1:10pm 8th August 2008
i wont be missing them. i would'nt have bought one with ur money lol. if u want a mobo that gives good o/c's & is easy to clock, buy an asus. if u want a true tweaking mobo buy an dfi. if u like ugly cheep looking mobo that o/c's buy a giga lol
Comment by sativabud at 8:29pm 7th August 2008
Have you noticed since America and the UK and other economies alike are suffering because of high prices, low currency worth and the fact that America is practically in recession? Loads of businesses across the UK are suffering cut backs and losses. Even Northumberland Councils have a £52m blackhole ! Ahhh!
Comment by Lightning_Pete at 4:12pm 7th August 2008
From the super 7's until my current ip35-pro, great boards. I'm not big into brand loyalty though. I can get the features/price point I want elsewhere. So long...
Comment by loonym at 4:10pm 7th August 2008
I had an AW9D MAX and it would not support a Q6600 and ABIT support let me down - went back to ASUS who have never let me down!
Comment by skyline at 4:09pm 7th August 2008
I had an AW9D MAX and it would not support a Q6600 and ABIT support let me down - went back to ASUS who have never let me down!
Comment by skyline at 4:09pm 7th August 2008
I had two of Abit's motherboards pre-enthusiast times and keep one spare for my older PC, they were well made and easily overclockable even back then around Socket A times before the Fatal1ty tie-up. Sadly economics has driven the company to get costs down and shift whatever's still selling eg laptops. Getting out now before Intel's sockets change seems like the least worst time to go.
Comment by KHenry_07 at 1:07pm 7th August 2008
I dont care much for gimmicks such as LED's and unwanted gunk bolted onto the board but heard some good stuff about the Fatality boards. I've personally only used Asus so cant comment on that side of things but any manufacturer pulling out of the enthusiast market cant be a good thing.
Comment by pveater at 11:02am 7th August 2008
I rather liked that board, it served me very well until I got an Asus P5K3 board, and now sits in a friends machine and he loves it too. Always a pity to see a company pull out of the market.
Comment by Rkiver at 10:57am 7th August 2008
this saddens me deeply. my Abit AB9 has served me extremely well, and is so good, i havent even needed to upgrade beyond the P965 chipset. their uGuru software is fantastic too, as well as the quality of their components, so i really hope that this is just speculation.
Comment by rickykemp at 10:51am 7th August 2008
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