Friday, July 8th 2011
Foundry Delays to Push Back NVIDIA Kepler Launch to 2012
It looks like foundry issues are back to slow down the launch of NVIDIA's next generation high-end GPU, codenamed Kepler. The delay may push Kepler's launch to 2012, it was expected to launch by late 2011. The 28 nanometer silicon fabrication process at TSMC, a principal foundry partner of NVIDIA, is producing unsatisfactory yields. Add to that, Kepler's performance is lower than expected.
TSMC's 28 nm process at Fab 15 facility has already seen delays, which have even shaped AMD's designs in a big way. AMD had originally planned to design high-end VLIW4 chips on the 32 nm process at TSMC, but later decided to wait for the 28 nm process, leading to plans of 32 nm GPUs being scrapped by both GPU designers. TSMC was supposed to be in a position take orders of high-end 28 nm GPUs by Q4 2011, and was set to start pilot production for its 20nm process technology in the third quarter of 2012.
TSMC's major client apart from GPU vendors, that relies on new bulk manufacturing process, Qualcomm, hasn't yet adjusted its 28nm process schedule and is set to launch three new products, 8960. 8270 and 8260A using dual-core Krait architecture in the fourth quarter of 2011.
AMD's first 28 nm GPUs, under the "Southern Islands" family are on course for 1H 2012. Around the same time, AMD will also release APUs based on the 28 nm process, codenamed "Krishna" and "Wichita", that replace Ontraio and Zacate.
Source:
DigiTimes
TSMC's 28 nm process at Fab 15 facility has already seen delays, which have even shaped AMD's designs in a big way. AMD had originally planned to design high-end VLIW4 chips on the 32 nm process at TSMC, but later decided to wait for the 28 nm process, leading to plans of 32 nm GPUs being scrapped by both GPU designers. TSMC was supposed to be in a position take orders of high-end 28 nm GPUs by Q4 2011, and was set to start pilot production for its 20nm process technology in the third quarter of 2012.
TSMC's major client apart from GPU vendors, that relies on new bulk manufacturing process, Qualcomm, hasn't yet adjusted its 28nm process schedule and is set to launch three new products, 8960. 8270 and 8260A using dual-core Krait architecture in the fourth quarter of 2011.
AMD's first 28 nm GPUs, under the "Southern Islands" family are on course for 1H 2012. Around the same time, AMD will also release APUs based on the 28 nm process, codenamed "Krishna" and "Wichita", that replace Ontraio and Zacate.
76 Comments on Foundry Delays to Push Back NVIDIA Kepler Launch to 2012
Or they move over to graphene instead of silicone.
well this doesnt really bother me until new games start to make my GTX570 cry, which is really few and far between. and even if you lower a setting here and there, a current mid/high end PC will crap all over current gen consoles (in terms of res/IQ) for a while to come.
I skipped the 5xxx and 4xx generation as after having to wait so long to see how Fermi did against Cypress that i gave up and waited a few more months for the next generation.
I know to most it's not much of an issue due to to having cards that can handle all current games but anyone who games on a triple screen setup will be with me in wanting more power, i could go crossfire/sli but the heat would kill me :laugh: thus my want for a 28nm chip.
I was really hoping that both AMD and Nvidia would launch the high end cards close together and Nvidia's card to be able to run 3 monitors from a single chip card, now i just hope this situation does not turn in to the one with Fermi and i assume so far its kind of like it as i would assume due to AMD not being delayed its Nvidia's architecture/chip size/design/whatever causing the problems with the yield of Kepler chips when using 28nm and not TSMC's issue.... although i guess could be a TSMC issue that AMD's design avoided... i have no idea.....
As far as manufacturing goes the "3D" transistor setup Intel is laying the foundation for will eventually let us get more out of the chips. Slower clock speeds at first but you can fit tons of them on a Die and transistor count matters as much as clock-speed.
Yeah, we're not as stupid as you think nVidia...
:rolleyes:
or maybe you are one of those people who think that if the strongest single-GPU belongs to NV they win @ the whole GPU market and make AMD obsolete
also why we are and will see 6870x2 and 460x2 etc and others, gettin some stock chips effin shipped n quick
this does mean to me that the next gen gpu's will have to be really quite something as out the gate they are going to have to beat 6870x2's and what not, to get sold, simples, and no new dx12 or anything to push them
But the truth is that currently Nvidia is comfortably outselling AMD competing offerings:
store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/videocard/
Look at DX11 card section:
Format= card name (last month increase)(total share of DX11 cards)
GTX460 (+0.98%)(13.03%) vs HD6850 (-0.17%)(2.02%)
GTX560 (+0.89%)(3.46%) vs HD6950 (+0.32%)(2.54%) vs HD6870 (+0.12%)(2.38%)
GTX570 (+0.49%)(2.77%) vs HD6970 (+0.07%)(1.26%)
GTX580 (+0.20%)(2.47%) vs no product
I don't know what you think but it does look like a beating to me. So AMD does need new cards to fuel stronger sales. Much more than Nvidia does.