AMD/Ati: 28nm Radeon chips

[TheMailMan78]

I just want a cheap 5870 and here they are already on 28nm chips

AMD with alternatives to TSMC
AMD/Ati: 28 nm Radeon chips from Globalfoundries?

The Radeon chips of AMD's graphics department Ati could be produced by contractor Globalfoundries as soon as their 28 nanometer production is launched. PC Games Hardware learned this when visiting the former AMD factories in Dresden, Germany.
Since the outsourcing of the AMD production in March the facility in Dresden is run by Globalfoundries, one third of which is owned by AMD. In "Fab 1” the company mainly produces AMD processors in 45 nanometer structure. But Globalfoundries is also working for other partners, like ST Microelectronics and mobile processor specialist ARM, who delivers a CPUs for the Iphone, will follow soon.

For 2010 Globalfoundries plans to start the 32 nanometer production - main customer will once again be AMD. In Q4 2010 the first 28 nanometer prototypes will be produced. Final products in this structure are not to be expected before 2011 but among them might be Ati graphics chips, that's at least what Globalfoundries hopes. Currently the Radeon GPUs are mainly made by the biggest contract manufacturer and Globalfoundries competitor TSMC, who is at the moment facing problems with the yield rate of the new 40 nanometer process though.

Source

[El_Mayo]

so?

[skylamer]

1nm pls


my 2 levs!

[Binge]

Already posted this same info, different source, in the 58XX discussion or the 5870 below expectations thread to prove a point. This info does, however, deserve it's own thread!

[Fishymachine]

Global will also print for ATi.
And I thought that it would be interesting if the 2 graphics giants had different fabs...o well survival of the fittest

[El_Mayo]

Originally Posted by Fishymachine

Global will also print for ATi.
And I thought that it would be interesting if the 2 graphics giants had different fabs...o well survival of the fittest

i'm guessing the 28nm versions would be much more expensive?

[Izliecies]

I bet they are engineering and designing the HD7xxx series already as well.

[El_Mayo]

Originally Posted by Izliecies

I bet they are engineering and designing the HD7xxx series already as well.

what about the 6xxx series? D:

[Zubasa]

Originally Posted by El_Mayo

what about the 6xxx series? D:

Its is most likely already done designing to be honest.
A new generation of GPUs can takes a couple years or more to develop,
they don't start designing the HD6k after the 5K is released,
they start working on it when they released the HD4ks.

[El_Mayo]

Originally Posted by Zubasa

Its already done designing to be honest.

really? and they're just hiding it for a bit so they can sell the 5xxx series?

[Zubasa]

Originally Posted by El_Mayo

really? and they're just hiding it for a bit so they can sell the 5xxx series?

Done designing does not mean it is anywhere close to releasing it in the market.
They still have alot of detail work to do you know, even determining the clock speeds of the chip can take a while.
That can depend on yields and the avaliable manfacturing power.

[El_Mayo]

Originally Posted by Zubasa

Done designing does not mean it is anywhere close to releasing it in the market.
They still have alot of detail work to do you know, even determining the clock speeds of th chip can take a while.

ohhh okay

[WarEagleAU]

I doubt the 28nm would be more expensive.

[Mussels]

a die shrink usually increases yields, and reduces cost of the GPU

[Velvet Wafer]

and all these nice little buggers are from Germany....i hope tsmc will fuckup.
if globalfoundries take the world lead in chip manufacture, i surely will laugh at all the suckers that need to buy their chips at tsmc.
and our economy gets pushed

[eidairaman1]

TMSC/TSMC has encountered so many problems in the past with manufacturing, their reliability level has become null.

[Velvet Wafer]

Originally Posted by eidairaman1

TMSC/TSMC has encountered so many problems in the past with manufacturing, their reliability level has become null.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company?

[W1zzard]

i think this report has been deliberately worded to sound more exciting. from what i understand it simply states the obvious:

- globalfoundries is working on new process sizes
- which are 32nm and 28nm
- technically it might be possible to manufacture a gpu on that process (good luck with ZERO experience)
- it would be nice for them if they could get ati business

i wonder why they didn't write about nvidia gpus made at 28 nm at globalfoundries ... same info .. "28 nm", "gpus could be made", globalfoundries is not an amd company "they work with anyone as long as they can make business" (they said that several times) which would include nvidia

[LittleLizard]

so, according to what w1zz said. if they start producing gpus on globalfoundries, it may be either an epic win for ati or an epic fail?

[InnocentCriminal]

Originally Posted by LittleLizard

so, according to what w1zz said. if they start producing gpus on globalfoundries, it may be either an epic win for ati or an epic fail?

Let's say they get successful 32nm and 28nm yields, it'd be an epic win for whatever company can use apply that level to their product. Say ATi & nVIDIA both use 32nm and/or 28nm and everything is fine and dandy, we'll all be a winner!

I remember reading that IBM were working on 32nm HKMG process which I think GlobalFoundries might be using for AMD chips in 2010. Not sure if I remember that correctly.

[a_ump]

I hear w1z but i'm curious about the zero experience part. I couldn't see a company like this hiring people incapable of doing the job, i'm sure there are alot of hired hands that know what they're doing. Also since AMD owns 1/3 of global foundries won't they be paying 2/3's of what the cost is for whatever they're having GF manufacture? or is it not that simple?

Originally Posted by InnocentCriminal

Let's say they get successful 32nm and 28nm yields, it'd be an epic win for whatever company can use apply that level to their product. Say ATi & nVIDIA both use 32nm and/or 28nm and everything is fine and dandy, we'll all be a winner!

I remember reading that IBM were working on 32nm HKMG process which I think GlobalFoundries might be using for AMD chips in 2010. Not sure if I remember that correctly.

now that you mention that, won't nvidia be at a price dissadvantage cause even if they're charged the same per wafer, i'm sure they will be cause can't there be a law suit if GF favored AMD?, but yea even at the same price per wafer won't AMD be winning out due to owning 1/3 of the company. Kinda funny cause Nvidia will in a sense be paying AMD to make their chip...kinda

[InnocentCriminal]

I don't know the prices, but AMD having shares in the company probably might make people (nVIDIA) feel a little strange. For that reason alone I don't think nVIDIA would use GF. I personally wouldn't, but then again I'm a slightly paranoid pessimistic person.

[W1zzard]

afaik amd holds shares of globalfoundries. they have to pay the normal price for anything made, if globalfoundries does good their shares go up, but they wont get any money from that until they sell their stock.

tsmc is working on new process technology too, so it's not that only globalfoundries will have 32 nm / 28 nm and nobody else

[Velvet Wafer]

Originally Posted by W1zzard

afaik amd holds shares of globalfoundries. they have to pay the normal price for anything made, if globalfoundries does good their shares go up, but they wont get any money from that until they sell their stock.

tsmc is working on new process technology too, so it's not that only globalfoundries will have 32 nm / 28 nm and nobody else

what interests me most ist: how big will the problems be, to achive such a small structure? if they have even problems with 40nm, what would be with 28nm?