The legal battle between motherboard makers Gigabyte Technology and Asustek Computer looks set to be over before it even started, with Gigabyte agreeing to issue a public apology. Tensions between the two companies flared up over "defamatory" comments and comparisons Gigabyte made in a internal document which challenged Asustek"s claims of using high-quality components in its motherboards, and the merits of Asustek"s EPU energy saving technology and its own DES equivalent.
Asustek took issue with the particularly strong wording used in the document and that Gigabyte failed to present independent test results. Problems also arose from the juxtaposition of an image of "blown" capacitors on an unidentified maker"s product alongside an Asustek motherboard, which Asustek alleged was an attempt by Gigabyte to imply Asustek products were of equally poor quality. In response Asustek lodged a complaint with Taiwan"s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) and initiated legal proceedings against the Gigabyte employee responsible for writing the document.