Published in Graphics

GT200 is 65nm or 55nm

by on13 May 2008

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Expensive but safe strategy


From what we know, Nvidia has placed orders for 65nm and 55nm versions of the GT200 chip and there is a big reason why. Nvidia is simply playing it safe and it doesn’t want any delays.

Nvidia traditionally migrates from bigger transistors to smaller in the entry-level, less complicated chips and then tries this in the higher end. Usually this works well, and you can remember that Nvidia went from 80nm to 65nm in this order.

As it’s pressured by time it will try to make even its biggest chip in 55nm. If it fails, it will have a 65 nm version of the chip ready to take its place. 55nm means that the chips will run a bit cooler and that you can crack the clocks a bit higher and we will probably learn if the fastest version of GT200 will end up at 55nm.

Taping out two chips means doubling the cost and this will likely increase Nvidia's operating cost, but at least it will help the company to keep up in the high-end market.

It might happen that GTX version of GT200 is 55nm and that GT version ends up as 65nm, but this is something that is yet to be confirmed. Nvidia simply cannot make any mistakes, as this is the most critical time for the company in a while.

Last modified on 13 May 2008
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