ATI Radeon chips

[bim27142]

rumors are spreading that 9550's are actualy 9600 chips that did not pass ATI quality control tests. to make it worse, there are even GPU manufacturers who make 9600 pro based GPU's using 9550 chips only in scratched labels so as not to recognize the "9550" anymore...

are any of these true? or maybe at least, an inclination to the truth???

 

[Gamingphreek]

Essentially yes, in some cases. You have the right idea as the 9550 is an underclocked 9600. THey dont use scratched labels they just make a new bios and introduce a new card thats all.

-Kevin

 

[bim27142]

yes, 9550s are 9600s but what i worry is that if they really are 9600's that did not pass QC... some said that this also happen to 9800s and all the other VPU's with variants as well that's why there is this 9800se where the other 4 pipes are disabled because it was found defective by ATI QC...

 

[LTC8K6]

This sort of thing happens with pretty much all chips, including CPU's and RAM.

 

[nardvark]

Don't sweat it, this is SOP for chip manufacturers. Even Intel figures out which chips can pass at 3.4Ghz, sticks them in a bin, then sees which of the remaining can make 3.2Ghz, sticks them in a bin, then sees which ones can make 3.0Ghz, sticks them in a bin...

 

[Peter]

Exactly. It's just the same speed-binning business as employed by the CPU and RAM chip makers for ages. Even the chipset makers are starting to do that with their north bridges. That's how we got VIA's KT333CF (speed binned KT400), how SiS gets their "GX" chips (speed binned "plain"), etc. etc.

 

[Bateluer]

It saves the company money in the long run. If they couldn't sell those borked 9600s/9800s, they'd jus thave to throw them away. At least this way, some internet PC can have a videocard.

 

[Peter]

You do realize that the VAST majority of PCs doesn't even use a discrete graphics card at all? Look at the numbers ... Intel has the largest market share in graphics units, although they don't even make discrete ones. Those people who want top notch performance are a tiny tiny minority, and there's quite a lot more use to low-end cards like the 9550 than you might think. This is where the volume is, if any is to be made from discrete graphics.

 

[bim27142]

Originally posted by: Peter
You do realize that the VAST majority of PCs doesn't even use a discrete graphics card at all? Look at the numbers ... Intel has the largest market share in graphics units, although they don't even make discrete ones. Those people who want top notch performance are a tiny tiny minority, and there's quite a lot more use to low-end cards like the 9550 than you might think. This is where the volume is, if any is to be made from discrete graphics.

yes, i agree... a vast majority out there will just settle for something than nothing at all...

 

[Lonyo]

The 9800SE is a 9800Pro core with 4 pipelines locked, because the pipelines don't work.
I think the 9550 is just a lower clocked 9600, no change in number of pipelines. If there were damaged/non working pipelines, the chip would not have been sold.

 

[bim27142]

yes, it has still 4 pipelines just like any other 9600's but with significantly lower clock speeds...however, some 3rd party manufacturers are even able to clock their 9550's to as high as 432Mhz core and out of the box! meaning, factory OC'ed...