NVIDIA may be stepping into the production of its own x86 processors if a rumor circulated by the Inquirer proves authentic. The video chipset producer has reportedly been hiring large numbers of engineers familiar with how to design for the foundations used in most Intel chips and has a virtually complete team. The company allegedly lacks a license for x86, however, and would likely face legal action from Intel as a result.

Reasons behind the move remain vague, though NVIDIA has increasingly been at odds with Intel over the future of computing. The former has repeatedly accused Intel of hindering the industry by promoting unnecessarily slow integrated graphics and in some cases of preventing companies from seeking faster alternatives, both accusations which Intel has denied. The latter semiconductor firm is accordingly thought to be resistant to giving NVIDIA a license as a result.

The purported shift into general processors comes as NVIDIA has involved itself further with non-visual components, having started years earlier with its nForce mainboards and lately involving itself with dedicated computing cards and, lately, hybrid graphics and system controller chipsets. It would be one of the later participants in x86 CPU manufacturing with AMD and VIA being the two most notable licensees.