Monday, July 29th 2024
AMD Zen 5 Recall Caused by a Typo?
AMD Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" desktop processors were supposed to start selling on July 31, 2024, but the launch has since been delayed. Since then, social media has been abuzz with theory crafting behind what could be the cause of the delay. AMD's announcement of the delay mentions: "During final checks, we found the initial production units that were shipped to our channel partners did not meet our full quality expectations," causing some to speculate if there are design flaws such as the ones affecting Intel's 13th Gen and 14th Gen Core desktop processors. A picture doing rounds on social media has a more goofy explanation: there is a glaring typo on the product label printed on the integrated heatspreader (IHS) of the processors.
Apparently, some of the first batches of Ryzen 9000 processors see the brand extensions mislabeled. Ryzen 7 9700X is printed as "Ryzen 9 9700X." This error in the brand extension may have been easily "patched" if it was on the retail packaging (the box), where hardware manufacturers tend to fix typos by simply pasting stickers on them. You can't do this with the IHS, which is a key component of the processor's cooling mechanism. Also, since times immemorial, chip labels (information printed on the chip) have served as crucial last resorts for accuracy of information such as the chip's exact model number, steppings or revisions (if any), and production serial numbers, besides the chip's national origin, which determines the applicable import tariffs. A typo here could prove problematic. We're not entirely sure how AMD is fixing these errors with mere 1-2 week delays. It's likely that they're recalling the affected batch and simply replacing inventory in the channel with "good" batches. The recalled chips will simply have their IHS reprinted.
Source:
Ian Cutress (Twitter)
Apparently, some of the first batches of Ryzen 9000 processors see the brand extensions mislabeled. Ryzen 7 9700X is printed as "Ryzen 9 9700X." This error in the brand extension may have been easily "patched" if it was on the retail packaging (the box), where hardware manufacturers tend to fix typos by simply pasting stickers on them. You can't do this with the IHS, which is a key component of the processor's cooling mechanism. Also, since times immemorial, chip labels (information printed on the chip) have served as crucial last resorts for accuracy of information such as the chip's exact model number, steppings or revisions (if any), and production serial numbers, besides the chip's national origin, which determines the applicable import tariffs. A typo here could prove problematic. We're not entirely sure how AMD is fixing these errors with mere 1-2 week delays. It's likely that they're recalling the affected batch and simply replacing inventory in the channel with "good" batches. The recalled chips will simply have their IHS reprinted.
87 Comments on AMD Zen 5 Recall Caused by a Typo?
Also look at this - a supposedly genuine chip with that awful "7" again, straight from TPU database:
While we're at that, I'm also bothered by amateurish-looking character spacing on genuine chips. The space before the X and the space after the X (in 3D chips) are a bit too wide compared to other characters. Not like a full space but nearly half of a full space.
Some tough paint.exe skills here:
Disclaimer: The two pictures above are fake. I made them to show how easily can a picture be forged. Link to original and legit picture.
Here's a 4x upscale:
The same glossy/polished surface can be clearly seen on hte same IHS.
Sorry for an illiterate explanation effort, but I hope you'll understand.
If it was really because of a 'typo' it is very clumsy and would give their QC guys & girls something to explain like; How the hell were they shipped in the first place without noticing?
Then again for a (non-hardware enthousiast) laser engraving machine operator, the naming of all different CPU's can be quite confusing :D and a small mistake can happen quickly.
Also, putting the chiplets in the central area is the same as putting on an offset mount. You know how much of a temperature difference that makes? Around 2 to 3 degrees.
Now your statement reads something like 'I won't get AMD because the temperatures are 3'C higher than ideal'. Then read it and hopefully you'll understand how silly that sounds.
Questions keeps on coming, like this.
I remember when I upgraded my PSU originally I got Seasonic natively but the label on the box was a massive downgrade on 12v rail, way below the advertised spec, I contacted seasonic who were open and said they were aware and it was a manufacturing issue with the label, but if I wanted they would tell the retailer (ocuk) to approve the return, I decided to return, just weird paranoia with label being wrong. Thats why I ended up with the rebadged Antec HCG 750.
Ironically this has bit me in the backside, Antec decided to only support their highest end PSUs for 12v-2x6 cables, whilst Seasonic are releasing cables for almost all their models.
Regardless my tale indicates the problems AMD could have if they left the typo in place.
They shipped defective chips.
Typos on IHS' have been confirmed by several completely separate sources.
Only thing not really confirmed is why Ryzen 9 models are delayed too, and more than Ryzen 5/7 with wrong prints on IHS