ATI skips 32nm, moves on 28nm

TheHunter

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It looks like ATI’s next generation graphics that could hopefully appear in late 2010 will be developed in the 28nm process.

This might be the first chip developed for both TSMC and Globalfoundries. Globalfoundries hopes to have its 28nm bulk process ready in late 2010, probably in Q4, and ATI will probably be one of the first customers.

If ATI plays it safe it will develop the chip for both TSMC and Globalfoundries and will benchmark which of the two gets the job done better. AMD is yet to announce that it will officially do its GPUs in Dresden bulk part of factory, but this is something that won’t surprise many people.

Just remember that TSMC’s yields with 40nm are not great and considering that this silicon is in the majority of ATi and Nvidia chips, especially new designs, an alternative for the next generation becomes more likely.

source

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We haven’t seen any lithography equipment for the 28nm bulk process, but Udo Nothelfer, Vice President and General Manager of Globalfoundries confirmed that Dresden is getting ready for 45nm and especially important 28nm bulk production.

These are the two processes that might get the most interest, and we also think that bulk production should not be a big problem for Globalfoundries as the manufacturing is not more complex than silicon on insulator, something that Globalfoundries has done for many years for AMD.

The 28nm process should start with risk production in late 2010, it looks like Q4 2010 now, and high end complex graphics chips are the main target for this. We are quite sure that AMD & ATI are interested in 28nm graphics chips and it’s just a matter of time when Nvidia will start considering Globalfoundries as an alternative fab.

At this time, everything we know about bulk from the Dresden fab is only a paper spec, and we still have to see some real chips and healthy yields from this new bulk manufacturer.

source

looks like this is atis next response to fermi.

chaotic1 · 11-06-2009, 14:04 | posts: 1,852 | Location: notts , uk | User is Offline

they still have not enough 40nm to go around , what will it be like when this 28nm is released ?

MM10X · **Memory**: 4GB ocz 1000Mhz 5-4-4-15

They are stealing more of my nanometers!?!?!?

TeX_UK · 11-06-2009, 14:36 | posts: 1,277 | Location: Geordie Land | User is Offline

They need to fix/perfect the 40nm process first

.

deltatux · *Last edited by deltatux; 11-06-2009 at 15:01.*

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaotic1

they still have not enough 40nm to go around , what will it be like when this 28nm is released ?

well, unlike the 40nm process, the 28nm process will be produced by both GlobalFoundries and Chartered. Chartered is going to be melded into GlobalFoundries as ATIC is buying Chartered and combine its production expertise and capacity to make a super foundry.

deltatux

chaotic1 · 11-06-2009, 16:10 | posts: 1,852 | Location: notts , uk | User is Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by deltatux

well, unlike the 40nm process, the 28nm process will be produced by both GlobalFoundries and Chartered. Chartered is going to be melded into GlobalFoundries as ATIC is buying Chartered and combine its production expertise and capacity to make a super foundry.

deltatux

they should have done this before the 58** series were released

deltatux · 11-06-2009, 17:04 | posts: 7,229 | Location: Toronto, Canada | User is Online

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaotic1

they should have done this before the 58** series were released

well, obviously we can say that but when the 5xxx series came out, the Chartered deal was just struck lol.

Ofc we have to wait for another round.

deltatux

GhostXL · 11-06-2009, 17:08 | posts: 3,288 | Location: Newville, PA | User is Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaotic1

they still have not enough 40nm to go around , what will it be like when this 28nm is released ?

That isn't ATI's fault. It's the fab's fault. Plus that is going to change with Global Foundries.

DementeD · 11-06-2009, 17:20 | posts: 551 | Location: Tampa, Florida | User is Offline

wow very exciting news..cant wait to see what kind of beast they bring out next and how great the power consumption is....the days of upgrading psu's for video cards might come to a hault while gpu power increases...ill definitely skip the 5 series and get this..the x2 is going strong..(as long as this is competitive of course.

sykozis · 11-06-2009, 18:44 | posts: 3,627 | Location: USA | User is Offline

I can't afford to go any bigger on the PSU....either GPU power consumption comes down, or I'm tossing my desktop and laptop....and buying an Acer AspireRevo.

deltatux · 11-06-2009, 18:48 | posts: 7,229 | Location: Toronto, Canada | User is Online

Umm... it looks like the ATi 5800 series does use less power than its predecessor... Esp. since it's on a die shrink.

deltatux

chaotic1 · 11-06-2009, 18:56 | posts: 1,852 | Location: notts , uk | User is Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by GhostXL

That isn't ATI's fault. It's the fab's fault. Plus that is going to change with Global Foundries.

yes it is , they should have known the demand would be great

GhostXL · 11-06-2009, 18:58 | posts: 3,288 | Location: Newville, PA | User is Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaotic1

yes it is , they should have known the demand would be great

Dude ATI doesn't fab the stuff. TSMC does, that IS NOT ATI's fault. Why do you think they are going to Global Foundries.

I do not think you understand.

deltatux · 11-06-2009, 19:26 | posts: 7,229 | Location: Toronto, Canada | User is Online

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaotic1

yes it is , they should have known the demand would be great

It is in no way ATi's fault as it's been said that they are a fabless company. Actually, AMD as a whole is now considered a fabless company as they spun off GlobalFoundries.

deltatux

chaotic1 · 11-06-2009, 19:34 | posts: 1,852 | Location: notts , uk | User is Offline

well then it's amd's fault for doing that then

ottoyu34 · 11-06-2009, 20:56 | posts: 478 | Location: Ontario, Canada | User is Offline

68XX series. Which should be the ones I want! yum

MM10X · **Memory**: 4GB ocz 1000Mhz 5-4-4-15

Quote:

Originally Posted by ottoyu34

68XX series. Which should be the ones I want! yum

i wonder what happens when ATI gets past their 98xx series... 108xx series anyone?

ottoyu34 · 11-06-2009, 21:18 | posts: 478 | Location: Ontario, Canada | User is Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by MM10X

i wonder what happens when ATI gets past their 98xx series... 108xx series anyone?

after 9800, it should be 280

following nvidia.

deltatux · 11-06-2009, 21:56 | posts: 7,229 | Location: Toronto, Canada | User is Online

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaotic1

well then it's amd's fault for doing that then

How's it AMD's fault to spin off its processor manufacturing? By spinning off its manufacturing it can focus its resources to design CPUs and GPUs. Also, they can use multiple foundries under strict licensing terms. Right now there are two companies that produce CPUs and GPUs for AMD and that's GlobalFoundries and TSMC.

Last check, Intel only uses their own foundries.

deltatux

UZ7

So once they reach the smallest die size whats next?

deltatux · *Last edited by deltatux; 11-07-2009 at 00:00.*

Quote:

Originally Posted by UZ7

So once they reach the smallest die size whats next?

they'll have to either find new materials or new processes to make processor as there's a physical limit on how small things can be and right now the limit we know of is at 16 nm due to "quantum tunneling". Unfortunately I don't know what quantum tunneling is...

deltatux

Musouka · *Last edited by Musouka; 11-07-2009 at 00:05.*

28nm... darn!

Maybe they can pack 4 GPU's on a single PCB, then

Tat3 · **Memory**: 3*2Gb 8-8-8-20 @ 1640MHz

65nm -> 45nm = 20nm difference
45nm -> 32nm = 13nm difference
32nm -> 28nm = 4nm difference

It's not going to be as big deal. Also producing 28nm stuff with high risks may prove to be more pricey than 32nm ones.

And as we have seen, 65nm cards can beat 45nm ones so I don't think that it's going to be big deal in the end if they use 32nm or 28nm.

IPlayNaked · 11-07-2009, 07:17 | posts: 1,273 | User is Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by deltatux

How's it AMD's fault to spin off its processor manufacturing? By spinning off its manufacturing it can focus its resources to design CPUs and GPUs. Also, they can use multiple foundries under strict licensing terms. Right now there are two companies that produce CPUs and GPUs for AMD and that's GlobalFoundries and TSMC.

Last check, Intel only uses their own foundries.

deltatux

Actually Intel does outsource occasionally.

deltatux · 11-07-2009, 10:39 | posts: 7,229 | Location: Toronto, Canada | User is Online

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPlayNaked

Actually Intel does outsource occasionally.

Oh? Any idea where to? I know AMD's two main manufacturing partners are GlobalFoundries (obviously) and TSMC for both CPUs and GPUs.

deltatux