Samsung AMD's Second Foundry Partner for "Polaris 30"

[FordGT90Concept]

They might just sell the inferior chips as RX 580/RX 570. Perhaps as RX 585 and RX 575. It really depends on what kind of yields they're getting.

 

[qcmadness]

Both Polaris 30 and Polaris 10 use the same production plants, right? Won't they come at the expense of one another anyway? I assume that AMD has quite a big stock of Polaris 10 to get rid of, but once that's gone, why would more Polaris 10 chips be made? (Of course, it's possible that AMD has so many Polaris 10 chips left that's it's an academic question.)

Judging from the previous lack of stock during the cypro-mining craze, I don't think AMD has that much Polaris 10 stock.

 

[$ReaPeR$]

i dont think there will be a problem with this approach. if the manufacturing nodes are decent enough i dont see why there should be a problem with using 2 different manu companies.

 

[ixi]

OK, well we now have a silicon lottery regarding which chip we get, and which chip runs hotter, faster etc... Great AMD...

Samsung has the inferior process node and manufacturing quality. We found this with the iPhone...

And you want to tell me this is something new? Basically all the chips from intel, amd cpu's are the same, uses the same power voltage, can oc to the same GHz e.t.c, like really?

 

[medi01]

they're 7nm is compatible with TSMC

How does that work?

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

How does that work?

I am not sure on the details but do know a few designs , like Polaris for Amd for example were designed to be compatible across foundries at 14nm , and I am fairly sure Asml ship similar machines to each foundrie, the difference between foundries stems from processing difference not an inate difference in starting posture or technology.
They will all get euv lines within the same few years but they still wont quite be used the same yet net result is the same, what they say is a 7nm chip.

 

[jeremyshaw]

"Fab 2, located in Woodlands, Singapore. This fab is capable of manufacturing wafers at 600 to 350 nm for use in selected automotive IC products, High Voltage power management IC and Mixed-signal products."

Ah, the old Chartered Semi plant. Glad to see it wasn't wasted.

 

[Vya Domus]

600-350nm manufacturing? Who is still using this?

You're not going to make a micro controller in a washing machine on a leading node are you ?

 

[hat]

I guess? I thought smaller processes were cheaper? Why would you manufacture a gargantuan 600nm chip when you can make 14nm chips? Even if "leading nodes" like the ones currently making high end products like processors, ram, graphics chips etc are all loaded up, you could probably at least do 45nm or something.

 

[Vya Domus]

I guess? I thought smaller processes were cheaper? Why would you manufacture a gargantuan 600nm chip when you can make 14nm chips?

The only chips that get to be gargantuan are GPUs and CPU and the likes of those. They get to that level because they have billions of transistors after all, simple chips don't come even close to that, so even on an antiquated node they are still small and use less power.

you could probably at least do 45nm or something.

Some of them are, but simple 8-bit micro controllers or chips that are meant to perform some basic logic simply don't need to be on the latest manufacturing process.

 

[Totally]

I guess? I thought smaller processes were cheaper? Why would you manufacture a gargantuan 600nm chip when you can make 14nm chips? Even if "leading nodes" like the ones currently making high end products like processors, ram, graphics chips etc are all loaded up, you could probably at least do 45nm or something.

More mature process means translates to less failures per wafer, demand for that process is probably lower therefore cheaper also outweighing the benefits of a smaller node.

 

[Prima.Vera]

Doesn't anyone find it odd that Samsung doesn't have fab/foundry time for their own products but has no problem making time for other chip makers?

Noup. Because they get MONEYZZZZZ to fab chips for other makers, while doing for themselves it costs.

 

[Vayra86]

OK, well we now have a silicon lottery regarding which chip we get, and which chip runs hotter, faster etc... Great AMD...

Samsung has the inferior process node and manufacturing quality. We found this with the iPhone...

We've also found that Samsung has fantastic results on DRAM and NAND flash. Its always a lottery. In all fairness I have a lot of faith that Samsung will be leading in the foundry business too, given time.

Even Intel's attempts to make every fab identical do not result in identical production runs, far from it even. Look at the 8700K.

 

[Casecutter]

They might just sell the inferior chips as RX 580/RX 570. Perhaps as RX 585 and RX 575. It really depends on what kind of yields they're getting.

Yeah this only being a Polaris 30 (aka RX 590) I would believe they'd not need some second source. So likely AMD is going to go 12nm for the RX 580/570 also, and use up any lesser grade in either power or SU count.

 

[Totally]

Noup. Because they get MONEYZZZZZ to fab chips for other makers, while doing for themselves it costs.

but at the same time they're holding their hands up saying "We need to charge more monies because don't have enough fab capacity for our wares"

 

[Vayra86]

but at the same time they're holding their hands up saying "We need to charge more monies because don't have enough fab capacity for our wares"

Of course, they need the money to build more fabs they can shut down to control supply.

Sound logic no?

 

[Totally]

Of course, they need the money to build more fabs they can shut down to control supply.

Sound logic no?

Only if it's a monopoly. Coming full circle since they're clearly demonstrating behaviors of such an entity why isn't anyone taking action?