Absolutely not. Every chip is sent through the test program. With yields at ~85%, would you accept 15% bad chips if you were building products with the chips? Customers expect each and every chip that makes it to them to be good. Any bad ones we get back from the field we examine and determine how they escaped the test--and update the test to cover that failure mode.
Geforce FX will cost $450
- Thread starter Pav_37
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AFAIK, all chips will be subjected to testing but that will be done using a certain (finite) set of test vectors. Those vectors may miss a certain circuit in the HW and so a fault may slip through and, as Russ says, it's then a matter of trying to produce a new set of vectors to better exercise the chip. You can help this process by explicitly building in testing HW.Chalnoth said:
About the "1)" (cheaper process) mentioned, what kind of cheaper process would still be good enough to produce a >100 million transistor chip on 0.15 yet still provide more yield per dollar spent on production? I hadn't expected such fine control over the process, I'd pictured more like "do the best you can" on a process that advanced. Or did you just mean something like switching R300 to "assembly lines" that have been found to only have good yields for "non Pro" caliber chips, and then using the "best" "assembly lines" for the R350 or something like that?
I can see now how the "2)" (testing) matters if testing savings was more than the profit margin difference between the two targets (Pro, non Pro) in the market.
I can see now how the "2)" (testing) matters if testing savings was more than the profit margin difference between the two targets (Pro, non Pro) in the market.
There are a ton of fine tuning controls on the fabrication process. You can make a tradeoff between gate speed and power in the same fab, with the same masks. It has something to do with the exposure, or leaving it in one of the ovens for longer/shorter times, or changing the chemical mixtures or something.
I believe the "faster" process is also less robust (i.e. yield is lower) because you're coming closer to the 'edge' of the process. (make the gates too short and leakage current becomes overwhelming) Or something.
I don't know all the details, but I'm positive that if you target lower requirements, you can tweak the fab process to increase yield or remove some testing requirements.
I believe the "faster" process is also less robust (i.e. yield is lower) because you're coming closer to the 'edge' of the process. (make the gates too short and leakage current becomes overwhelming) Or something.
I don't know all the details, but I'm positive that if you target lower requirements, you can tweak the fab process to increase yield or remove some testing requirements.
Not sure if this has already been posted, but this is taken from Anand... from his latest (December) CPU/GPU price guide
Late March or early April? I sure hope not. I was hoping they hit stores mid Jan, arriving in Aus about mid Feb.
If Anand is to be believed, we will see the "FX around late Q1".
Late March or early April? I sure hope not. I was hoping they hit stores mid Jan, arriving in Aus about mid Feb.
Nagorak said:
California doesn't need to secede. California should be split up into two or more states. It's just far too big right now, which has caused a variety of problems. One of which is that the big cities (mostly San Francisco and LA) essentially have enough population to determine the policy of the rest of the state.
And it will likely take a long time for Europe to unite (if it happens, it will probably be called the European Union). It took them long enough to unite on money. It's a far larger leap to unite on politics. There are just too many differences to resolve simply between the various nations. But, it would be good for the region as a whole if they could unite.
The GFFX better not debut at $450. OEM Radeon 9700 Pro's can already be bought for $276 off Pricewatch from GameVE.com, with free shipping.
http://www.pricewatch.com/1/37/4884-2.htm
With the GFFX not hitting store shelves until late January/early February, I think it's safe to say that the R9700Pro's price will probably be around $250.
Man. Competition is grand.
http://www.pricewatch.com/1/37/4884-2.htm
With the GFFX not hitting store shelves until late January/early February, I think it's safe to say that the R9700Pro's price will probably be around $250.
Man. Competition is grand.
ROFL Simon
As far as the European Union goes and all the lucky guestimates from the other side of the Atlantic (by the way how on God's green earth are politics related to 3D?):
Let's just say that the current situation is within the best interest of the US, while a complete future unification with a completely independant foreign policy is not. Wonder which nation would be first to disagree in terms of foreign policy eh Simon? 8)
As far as the European Union goes and all the lucky guestimates from the other side of the Atlantic (by the way how on God's green earth are politics related to 3D?):
Let's just say that the current situation is within the best interest of the US, while a complete future unification with a completely independant foreign policy is not. Wonder which nation would be first to disagree in terms of foreign policy eh Simon? 8)
martrox said:Ailuros said:ROFL Simon
Wonder which nation would be first to disagree in terms of foreign policy eh Simon? 8)
Hmmmm.... could it be the one that "farts in your general direction"?
It's TheOne that hasn't accepted the common currency yet, probably either to piss the other euros off or simply just to differentiate themselves again. Or Her Majesty doesn't like money w/o her pretty wrinkles *ahem* on them...
Please don't take the above serious; it's rare enough around here that the mood lightens up...
...probably because of that.
NOT taking this seriously, as your explicit instructions:Ailuros said:
UK-minted Euros probably would still have the Queen's head on them, as each country gets part of the note to put what it wants on it. Wouldn't Winston Churchill, the Iron Duke, or Lord Nelson be amusing choices?
They did put her double chin on the latest £. Scurrilous gossip hints that one was not amused.
WhiningKhan
Regular
Nope - the notes are the same everywhere. Instead, the nations are free to make up a backside of their own in their coins.
Simon F said:You must be in "The States"Chalnoth said:
Yes, I am in the US. But I meant that any political union would probably be termed the "European Union," primarily because the current monetary union is called just that.
With the San Andreas, isn't that more or less an inevitability
Heh...probably not in my lifetime.
