Component Shortage Holding Back Radeon HD 6900 Series

[btarunr]

Originally slated for 22 November, AMD's upcoming Radeon HD 6900 series featuring the company's new enthusiast-grade "Cayman" GPU core reportedly ran into delays. A more recent report by VR-Zone suggests that these delays are not because of any yield-issue related to the GPU, but shortage of a new high-grade driver-MOSFET (DrMOS) chip used on the reference board, sourced from Texas Instruments. The said component looks to feature a more compact package compared to the ones commonly made by Renesas and the likes, which is why AMD seems to have chosen it. The TI-made component is in short supply, and is a very recent introduction by its makers. AMD has a knack of using exotic and high-grade components on PCBs of its high-end graphics cards. A driver-MOSFET is a component that combines the driver IC, and MOSFETs into a single package.



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[a_ump]

was not the rumored delay only till the 29th?
http://www.fudzilla.com/graphics/item/20812-cayman-hd-6970-to-launch-november-29th
yes yes, its fud, but it is a rumor nonetheless just as the rest of this is.

 

[Deleted member 67555]

Good to know...Absolutely love the progress of GPU's Lately

 

[cadaveca]

was not the rumored delay only till the 29th?
http://www.fudzilla.com/graphics/item/20812-cayman-hd-6970-to-launch-november-29th
yes yes, its fud, but it is a rumor nonetheless just as the rest of this is.

well, if you read the source:

AIBs will only know the final launch date from AMD at the end of this week.

In other words, they won't know for sure until the end of next week, but are saying a week delay only, to save face....

AMD: We got the new gpus ready, but...
Partner: But what?
AMD: Well, damn, can't get all the parts.
Partner:How long will this delay our launch?
AMD: Dunno.
Partner: Can't you give us any idea?
AMD: I dunno. Maybe a week.
Partner:
AMD: Don't worry, we'll know for sure on the 19th...
Partner: Guess that kills the 22nd launch, let's leak this.




Funny, I said that memory was gonna cause a delay, now they say DrMos. Wish they could make thier minds up.

 

[fochkoph]

Argh, nobody likes delays, but I'm still rubbing my grubby paws together waiting for the 6900 to drop.

 

[Scheich]

They cant even launch the 6800 correctly. Where are the cards ? I am already waiting 12 days

 

[wahdangun]

They cant even launch the 6800 correctly. Where are the cards ? I am already waiting 12 days

what are you talking about the HD 6870/6850 was plenty, even in here in indonesia i have seen it in every tech store

 

[Jonap_1st]

what are you talking about the HD 6870/6850 was plenty, even in here in indonesia i have seen it in every tech store

maybe "good shipments" isnt always be on any countries

the last time its about driver, now component issues. even they just going into this for the sake of better hardware optimize, i hope they can still on schedule for november release.

cause many people dont like moaning thinking about waiting correct launch times

 

[mechtech]

well, if you read the source:



In other words, they won't know for sure until the end of next week, but are saying a week delay only, to save face....

AMD: We got the new gpus ready, but...
Partner: But what?
AMD: Well, damn, can't get all the parts.
Partner:How long will this delay our launch?
AMD: Dunno.
Partner: Can't you give us any idea?
AMD: I dunno. Maybe a week.
Partner:
AMD: Don't worry, we'll know for sure on the 19th...
Partner: Guess that kills the 22nd launch, let's leak this.




Funny, I said that memory was gonna cause a delay, now they say DrMos. Wish they could make thier minds up.

I can't see memory causing a delay, I mean samsung alone probably has more than enough production to meet that demand.

It's good to see them going the extra mile and using high grade parts, however a graphics card usually only has a 2 year life before upgrade time (especially high end gamer cards), maybe they should have used the renesas chips this time instead?

 

[CDdude55]

Well that sucks, hope they can get all the components in their hands soon.

 

[newtekie1]

Kind of a crap excuse considering didn't they say caymen was pin compatible with Cypress, and they could use the same PCB if they wanted too? So the excuses that they are held up by PCB components seems like a smoke-screen to me since if they wanted to get it out on time they could have just use some Cypress boards to get it started, then switched to the new board when they had enough componenets.

 

[Kantastic]

Kind of a crap excuse considering didn't they say caymen was pin compatible with Cypress, and they could use the same PCB if they wanted too? So the excuses that they are held up by PCB components seems like a smoke-screen to me since if they wanted to get it out on time they could have just use some Cypress boards to get it started, then switched to the new board when they had enough componenets.

Would've leaked eventually & they'd have gotten more crap.

 

[gumpty]

Kind of a crap excuse considering didn't they say caymen was pin compatible with Cypress, and they could use the same PCB if they wanted too? So the excuses that they are held up by PCB components seems like a smoke-screen to me since if they wanted to get it out on time they could have just use some Cypress boards to get it started, then switched to the new board when they had enough componenets.

I could be wrong, but I believe it is Barts that is pin-compatible with Cypress.

 

[W1zzard]

I could be wrong, but I believe it is Barts that is pin-compatible with Cypress.

that's correct

 

[newtekie1]

I could be wrong, but I believe it is Barts that is pin-compatible with Cypress.

Ah, your right. It is still early here and I haven't had my coffee yet. I knew it was one of the new cores that was pin compatible.

that's correct

Thanks.

 

[Scheich]

Theres still some overprized stuff left. Regular 6850 for normal prizes are completly out of stock. According to alternate.de asus 6850 wont happen this month. Go figure :shadedshu

 

[lism]

I'd rather have high end components on a videocard and have it delayed instead of putting B-quality components to reach the release date...

 

[a_ump]

I'd rather have high end components on a videocard and have it delayed instead of putting B-quality components to reach the release date...

couldn't agree more. I believe all of us would rather have a card delayed by a week or 2, than have it released below a manufacturer's expectations just to meet a date. Personally i find this situation very good for AMD. True the GTX 580 is out, however AMD now knows its performance and if it's performance is a good margin ahead of the GTX 580's, they could release drivers that aren't the best they have in their arsenal. This would leave them a Plan B incase Nvidia does magically have an answer to Cayman, and walla release driver improvements that AMD held back to up performance another 5% or something. Just a thought.

 

[nINJAkECIL]

...and GTX580 were called paper-launch back then, when almost all of nvidia AIB partners already launch their GTX580 cards.

AMD wants to follow nvidia...in the wrong way

 

[Swamp Monster]

I like the idea of using DrMos instead of mosfet and driver. This should allow the card to run cooler. New parts usually are very expensive, I hope prices won't go crazy because of this.

 

[cadaveca]

I can't see memory causing a delay, I mean samsung alone probably has more than enough production to meet that demand.

I dunno. The required bin for these cards just went into production at the end of September AFAIK, and i don't think they'll use anything other than Hynix because of that. Also, Samsung has extra tarrifs coming into the US and such, due to legal matters, which is why you don't see alot of Samsung memory on the market any more.

I mean, the way I look at it, a month of memory production, plus time to get that memory places to be put onto boards, those boards then get shipped to OEMs, OEMs then ship to stores...all that ship here, ship there adds alot of time.

This news kinda tells me exactly what I posted. In fact, I'll take it further and say they decided to make a last-minute component change, and they are waiting for the parts, but a day or two after those parts hit the company making the boards, they'll be going out to the OEMs. Wit that in mind, I see little chance of the cards launching this month, at least in large quantity.

Hopefully, this wasn't a last-minute change because of faulty design, and merely one to replace a lower quality, cheaper component used to save on cost, with one that can boost power so the cards clock better.

 

[arnoo1]

amd should send there videocards to msi xd, they have on there motherboard drmos, they probally know how to handle this issue lol

fail for amd

 

[cadaveca]

How is Texas Instruments being unable to deliver a fail for AMD?

 

[INSTG8R]

Hehe my Sapphire 5870 already has DrMos's on it

 

[arnoo1]

How is Texas Instruments being unable to deliver a fail for AMD?

ati sounds better, XD
idunno

if they made it right the first time, than there would be no problems.

amd plz release it soon, i want to know how ''good'' those cards are