Nvidia GT300 yields are under 2%

[Shadov]

THE SAGA of Nvidia's GT300 chip is a sad one that just took a turn for the painful when we heard about first silicon yields. Nvidia's execution has gone from bad to absent with low single digit yields.

A few weeks ago, we said that Nvidia was expecting first silicon back at the end of the week, the exact date was supposed to be Friday the 4th plus or minus a bit. The first bit of external evidence we saw that it happened was on the Northwood blog (translated here) and it was a day early, so props to NV for that. That lined up exactly with what we are told, but the number of good parts was off.

How many worked out of the (4 x 104) 416 candidates? Try 7. Yes, Northwood was hopelessly optimistic - Nvidia got only 7 chips back. Let me repeat that, out of 416 tries, it got 7 'good' chips back from the fab. Oh how it must yearn for the low estimate of 20%, talk about botched execution. To save you from having to find a calculator, that is (7 / 416 = .01682), rounded up, 1.7% yield.

The whole text can be found here: http://www.semiaccurate.com/2009/09/...eilds-under-2/ by Charlie Demerjian

Comments?

[ajaidev]

Are you kidding me!!!!! Holy Shooot this is bad if true, ATi will ask top dollors for its card and without any thing to compete "In stock anyways" with it may get what it wants.

I just hope Nvidia sticks in there makes the chips at a lose and get the count up and for the love of god not start on a re-branding rampage.

[turtletrax]

Daaaayyyumm

If true, that is horrific. Boggles the mind to see how fast the tables can turn in this game.

[Helloworld_98]

If this is true now we know why Nvidia's CEO sold all that stock

their stock prices are going to drop a bit

[MirageSys]

I think if its true it takes the record. That's just pitiful.

[Mk]

That's why Nv stock was sold big time by Nv CEO looks like its the Red team year unless Intel have a say....

[SKYMTL]

If true: ouch.

Consider the source though.

[FischOderAal]

Well, if (a huge one) this is true NVIDIA might be in huge trouble. I really hope this is not the case.

[Xope_Poquar]

Looks like the 5870 will stay at $400 for a long time.

[icecpu]

Is this means further delay for GT300 ???

[cobra_kai]

This better not be true. I was really hoping for another nvidia-ati price ware that drove the current generation to such nice prices.

[turtletrax]

Is this means further delay for GT300 ???

I would have to say YES if true. I doubt that NV would throw out 102 chips out of every wafer LOL

[FischOderAal]

Is this means further delay for GT300 ???

Surely NVIDIA doesn't want to keep it this way. Guess G300 is in for a respin to improve yields.

[orangekiwii]

This can't be WHY they sold stock people. You have to schedule selling stock in advance by six months. SIX months... they either knew about it then (in which case they have better yields) or they didn't know and just expected their new architecture to actually be as good as they hoped.

This just further (if true) pushes my mind towards the 5870x2. I was going to get what ever is better and from all accounts and even all rumors for both sides (high balling the gt300 and low balling the 5870x2) it just looks better.

Price AND performance. Until the gt300x2 releases (won't buy as it will be months late and cost 600$+). If true, this just basically set my x-mas buying spree.

[BenchZowner]

So... not true

Charlie is very very very entertaining though

[Asylum1]

Wow. If this is correct it will be a while before the 300 line comes out.
And yes ATI will sit on there prices.

[Tim]

Yikes, that's worse then R600.

I always says wait on the other camp, then buy, but if we don't get some positive news soon.....

It's to all the people who said wait for R600 when G80 was out. Let's hope this doesn't turn out that way.

[annihilat0r]

God damnit

[ajaidev]

So... not true

Charlie is very very very entertaining though

Is that a hint "Moves one eyebrow in the general upward direction"

[[+Duracell-]]

Ouch! Only 7 out of 416 chips were useable? I hope things turn out better soon...Maybe Nvidia went too big this time around?

[Vit^pr0n]

True or not, this is very unfortunate. This could mean further delays and higher prices by ATi ( They deserve it though. 4800 series was great, and they continued that with its successor ). ATi themselves said the days of $600+ graphics cards are over, so don't think the 5870x2 will be anything over that. It will most likely be the same price as the 4870x2 was at launch ( $549 ).

Let's hope Nvidia doesn't delay any further. Price wars benefit us the consumer so you'd be foolish to even think this is a good thing.

[003]

So... not true

Charlie is very very very entertaining though

+1

I'll be worried if sources other than Charlie (and sources based on Charlie) report the same info. He's probably trying to lower Nvidias share value.

[SKYMTL]

It probably isn't true but as many people said; if there is any truth in this, it is very, very bad for the industry and competitive pricing in general.

[Calmatory]

Usually things like this are exaggerated, but are still holding at least some truth. In a sense that rumours like this won't pop out if there isn't something happening which goes very much along with the rumour.

I'd say that if there is something we can gather from this piece of info, it's that GT300 isn't doing well. Worst case scenario is that this is completely accurate, however thats unlikely, I hope.

[MirageSys]

True or not, this is very unfortunate. This could mean further delays and higher prices by ATi ( They deserve it though. 4800 series was great, and they continued that with its successor ). ATi themselves said the days of $600+ graphics cards are over, so don't think the 5870x2 will be anything over that. It will most likely be the same price as the 4870x2 was at launch ( $549 ).

Let's hope Nvidia doesn't delay any further. Price wars benefit us the consumer so you'd be foolish to even think this is a good thing.

Unless your an AMD stockholder. Otherwise that's true :P