AMD: 40nm yields have stabilized, supplies improving

[Matthew DeCarlo]

From the beginning, AMD's 40nm Radeon HD 5000 series graphics cards have been limited in stock, which is at least partially due to TSMC's (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) poor yields. The wafer producer supplies both AMD and Nvidia with products, and admitted to manufacturing troubles in October.

Blaming the low yields (about 40%) on chamber matching issues, the company promised to have things straightened out by the end of 2009. TSMC has reportedly kept its word, despite rumors suggesting the shortage might last until the second quarter of 2010.

Noticing an online resurgence of Radeon HD 5800-series graphics cards, The Tech Report contacted AMD to find out if the famine has passed. In response, AMD informed the site that 40nm yields at have "stabilized" and Radeon HD 5800-series cards should become more available.

While Radeon HD 5850 and 5870s are currently more plentiful than a few weeks ago, prices are still inflated. The Tech Report notes that the cards are selling for around $50 and $20 above their suggested retail price -- an unavoidable tax if you want DirectX 11-capable hardware before your friends.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/37419-amd-40nm-yields-have-stabilized-supplies-improving.html

 

[dividebyzero]

"Tech Report notes that the cards are selling for around $50 and $20 above their suggested retail price" ...Not in New Zealand they aren't. HD5850/5870/5970 are selling at 30+% over the recommended manufacturers retail price. I personally blame nVIDIA for this as they are OBVIOUSLY pressuring AIB's that produce both ATI and NV cards (Gigabyte, Asus, MSI, XFX etc) to hike the price on these cards (to ensure consumer backlash and dissatisfaction) or be refused Fermi cards when they arrive, this forces ATI only AIB's (Sapphire, HIS, VisionTek etc) up to this extortionate level for fear of being accused of uncompetitive market practice by the FTC.......Oh, you devious b*stard Jen Hsun....NO ONE DENIES THIS!!!!!

 

[compdata]

Hope this brings the prices down soon for everyone.

 

[dividebyzero]

compdata said:
Hope this brings the prices down soon for everyone.

Awesome sense of humour there !
The day these cards become cheaper is the day that another card benchmarks higher than them.
To paraphrase the movie "Field of Dreams"
"If you build it (a derivative GPU of minimal performance gains over the previous generation), then they (consumers with a need for shiny new things with features they may never use) will come" (see also: GT 240, GT 220, HD4850X2)

 

[ken777]

No more excuses for Nvidia. I hope they can finally announce a release date for Fermi.

 

[Deso]

They really mean it when they use the slogan

Nsist on Nvidia

I'll add

Or we will Nsist for you ;] to it

 

[Puiu]

I'm pretty sure that deals will start to appear making them cheaper, but not in 2009.

 

[red1776]

I get to see if my collusion theory is correct. if indeed the 40 nm 'shortage' is over, i bet that means that fermi will be released in Jan. (they had to ease it a few weeks before for plausible deniability)
hmmm......

 

[dividebyzero]

red1776 said:
I get to see if my collusion theory is correct. if indeed the 40 nm 'shortage' is over, i bet that means that fermi will be released in Jan. (they had to ease it a few weeks before for plausible deniability)
hmmm......

General consensus seems to be March 2010.
From what I understand the A2 silicon wasn't the HD5870 stomper nV expected and they have turned to the A3 revision which won't be hard launched until March- maybe a couple of weeks earlier if they want to coincide it with the first mass appeal DX11 game (CoP).
I'm sure there will be "leaks" and advance copies going out to tech review sites-hopefully including the august Techspot-from Jan-Feb as a tease, but nV have already stated that the desktop card wont be shown at CES.
As for the "shortage" - If availability in New Zealand is anything to go by then it's well and truly over. Anyone who wants a 5000 card for Christmas has no end of choices- over a hundred retailers/etailers have them in stock.