16gb GDDR6 ICs are averaging $10 each. The clamshell PCB is already made. So the cost of doubling up the VRAM in a clamshell configuration 7900 XTX (like the W7900) is like $100 at most, on top of this being a seperate memory supply from HMB the datacenter accelerators use. But AMD literally tells its OEMs they are not allowed to sell such clamshell configs of their cards, like they have in the past.
The ostensible business reason is to justify the actual ‘workstation’ cards, which are laughing stocks in that space at those prices.
Hence, AMD is left scratching their heads wondering why no one is developing for the MI325X when devs have literally zero incentive to buy AMD cards to test on.
So if AMD makes a bunch of “AI Accelerators” and nobody buys them because they would rather nVidia (which the video talked about)?
Well, seeing how backordered the Strix Halo Framework Desktop is (even with its relatively mediocre performance), I think this isn’t a big concern.
There is a huge market dying to get out from under Nvidia here. AMD is barely starting to address this with a 32GB model of the 9000 series, but it’s too little too late. That’s not really worth the trouble over a 4090 or 5090, but that calcus changes if the config could be 48GB on a single card like the 7900.
Yes… for an individual, those are the prices (if only there was some 3 hour youtube video about adding more memory to cards…).
The issue is that even a downstream isn’t buying 100 dollars of VRAM. They need to buy that in bulk. And then they need to retool their factories to support that configuration. And if they can’t sell enough of those units to justify the retooling and the purchases?
I mean… look at EVGA
And then you have the marketing/brand implications which I already spoke to.
That’s what I’m saying, there is no retooling. Some of AMD’s existing OEMs are already making W7900s.
Here’s the bulk of the process on the OEM side, other than maybe leaving an ECC chip off:
Take finished W7900.
Change ID in firmware (so the CAD drivers don’t recognize it)
Apply a different sticker, put it in a different box
Do the paperwork of making a new SKU, like they make for overclocked cards
That’s not that expensive. If it doesn’t sell a lot, well, not much skin off thier back. And it would make AMD boatloads by seeding development for their server cards (which the workstation cards to not do because they are utterly pointless at those prices).
This is all kind of a moot point though, as the 7900 series is basically sunsetted, and AMD doesn’t have a 384 bit consumer card anymore (nor a GDDR7 one to use the new, huge GDDR7 ICs).
Yes, it is:
https://www.amd.com/en/products/graphics/workstations/radeon-pro/w7900.html
https://dramexchange.com/
16gb GDDR6 ICs are averaging $10 each. The clamshell PCB is already made. So the cost of doubling up the VRAM in a clamshell configuration 7900 XTX (like the W7900) is like $100 at most, on top of this being a seperate memory supply from HMB the datacenter accelerators use. But AMD literally tells its OEMs they are not allowed to sell such clamshell configs of their cards, like they have in the past.
The ostensible business reason is to justify the actual ‘workstation’ cards, which are laughing stocks in that space at those prices.
Hence, AMD is left scratching their heads wondering why no one is developing for the MI325X when devs have literally zero incentive to buy AMD cards to test on.
Well, seeing how backordered the Strix Halo Framework Desktop is (even with its relatively mediocre performance), I think this isn’t a big concern.
There is a huge market dying to get out from under Nvidia here. AMD is barely starting to address this with a 32GB model of the 9000 series, but it’s too little too late. That’s not really worth the trouble over a 4090 or 5090, but that calcus changes if the config could be 48GB on a single card like the 7900.
Yes… for an individual, those are the prices (if only there was some 3 hour youtube video about adding more memory to cards…).
The issue is that even a downstream isn’t buying 100 dollars of VRAM. They need to buy that in bulk. And then they need to retool their factories to support that configuration. And if they can’t sell enough of those units to justify the retooling and the purchases?
I mean… look at EVGA
And then you have the marketing/brand implications which I already spoke to.
That’s what I’m saying, there is no retooling. Some of AMD’s existing OEMs are already making W7900s.
Here’s the bulk of the process on the OEM side, other than maybe leaving an ECC chip off:
Take finished W7900.
Change ID in firmware (so the CAD drivers don’t recognize it)
Apply a different sticker, put it in a different box
Do the paperwork of making a new SKU, like they make for overclocked cards
That’s not that expensive. If it doesn’t sell a lot, well, not much skin off thier back. And it would make AMD boatloads by seeding development for their server cards (which the workstation cards to not do because they are utterly pointless at those prices).
This is all kind of a moot point though, as the 7900 series is basically sunsetted, and AMD doesn’t have a 384 bit consumer card anymore (nor a GDDR7 one to use the new, huge GDDR7 ICs).