MikeNvidia Corp. has reportedly issued yet another product change notification (PCN) document, informing its customers that it plans to change bump material on its code-named G92 chips, which power a great amount of GeForce graphics cards. Potentially, this may mean that those graphics processing units are also subject to failures similar to already confirmed by Nvidia.
A news-story at The Inquirer web-site claims that Nvidia’s product change notification released in late June reads that the company intends to change high-Pb bump material to eutectic solder on its G92 graphics chips as well as graphics boards based on the G92. The aforementioned graphics processor powers loads of GeForce 8800-series as well as GeForce 9800-series graphics boards, which are very popular among gamers and computer enthusiasts. It is interesting to note that both 65nm as well as 55nm versions of G92b are affected.
The reasons that Nvidia reportedly gives for switch of soldering material are claimed to be “to increase supply and enhance package robustness”. This is the second PCN regarding the change of packaging material that leaked this week.
Earlier this year Nvidia admitted that its GeForce graphics processing units (GPUs) and nForce chipsets (which the company calls MCPs, media and communication processors) designed for mobile computers could fail due to issues with high-lead packaging. The company took $196 million charge to help its partners to tackle the problem, however, it said that the issue only affected certain notebook configurations.
Based on the two PCNs that were made public, Nvidia’s desktop graphics processors may also suffer from the same issues as mobile graphics chips. If Nvidia is forced to change them, the company will have to take a very considerable charge.
Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.
My 8800GT better not die
