AMD Zen 5 Recall Caused by a Typo?

[btarunr]

AMD Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" desktop processors were supposed to start selling on July 31, 2024, but the launch has since been delayed. Since then, social media has been abuzz with theory crafting behind what could be the cause of the delay. AMD's announcement of the delay mentions: "During final checks, we found the initial production units that were shipped to our channel partners did not meet our full quality expectations," causing some to speculate if there are design flaws such as the ones affecting Intel's 13th Gen and 14th Gen Core desktop processors. A picture doing rounds on social media has a more goofy explanation: there is a glaring typo on the product label printed on the integrated heatspreader (IHS) of the processors.

Apparently, some of the first batches of Ryzen 9000 processors see the brand extensions mislabeled. Ryzen 7 9700X is printed as "Ryzen 9 9700X." This error in the brand extension may have been easily "patched" if it was on the retail packaging (the box), where hardware manufacturers tend to fix typos by simply pasting stickers on them. You can't do this with the IHS, which is a key component of the processor's cooling mechanism. Also, since times immemorial, chip labels (information printed on the chip) have served as crucial last resorts for accuracy of information such as the chip's exact model number, steppings or revisions (if any), and production serial numbers, besides the chip's national origin, which determines the applicable import tariffs. A typo here could prove problematic. We're not entirely sure how AMD is fixing these errors with mere 1-2 week delays. It's likely that they're recalling the affected batch and simply replacing inventory in the channel with "good" batches. The recalled chips will simply have their IHS reprinted.



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[Onasi]

If it really turns out to be just a typo issue that would be hilarious. Especially in contrast to the current Intel debacle.

 

[azrael]

If it really turns out to be just a typo issue that would be hilarious. Especially in contrast to the current Intel debacle.

Especially since some tech tubers are spreading FUD about AMD being in a similar situation to Intel.

 

[JWNoctis]

Not the first time things like that happen. Only this happened to be in metal.

 

[Crackong]

Now it became collector's item.

 

[randomTPUreader]

This would also explain why the delay is only 1-2 weeks.

If there were a hardware defect AMD wouldn't be able to spin up a corrected chip to manufacturing, package and ship it in that short amount of time.

 

[Dr. Dro]

Now it became collector's item.

That was also my first thought. If so, probably the most asinine reason ever for a recall, the "Ryzen 9 9700X" would pretty much indicate launch sample. Nerds love this stuff.

 

[ARF]

I am not going to buy any AMD processor until they redesign this awful IHS, and place the chiplets which emit too much heat under its central area.

 

[the54thvoid]

The copyright on that chip also says 2023. I appreciate the naming convention was probably listed then, but it's still odd to me.

 

[CyberPomPom]

That's a bit hard to believe, why also recall the real Ryzens 9 and stagger the release the other way around?

 

[oxrufiioxo]

That's a bit hard to believe, why also recall the real Ryzens 9 and stagger the release the other way around?

Although a 1 week delay for the R5/R7 and two weeks for the R9s really isn't long enough to fix a major issues, whatever it is must be pretty minor could even be bios related.

 

[piloponth]

This issue could easily be solved by blaming MB manufacturers, rounds of BIOS & microcode updates, and finally hiding the problem under the carpet.

 

[Wirko]

AMD must be MAD now.

 

[LittleBro]

Take that picture with a grain of salt.

Okay, the poor image quality may distort letter-spacing. But that 7 in 9700X looks very odd - spaces between 9, 7, 0 are just strange, like someone cut something from there and stamped another thing there.

Compare it yourself, for example:

I've always thought that correcting a hardware issue (right before start of selling) in a chip will take at least 2 months.
Such marking issue would not be correctable within 1 week of delay. Not if it needs to travel all the way back to Taiwan.

Imagine:
You are recalling all the CPUs already (being) distributed to all OEMs and retailers. Some are probably still on a ship or a plane.
How long does it take to get it from Europe or North America back to Taiwan? Maybe in 5-7 days by ship and plane combined?
Then think of 1-2 days for doing corrections and handling logistics internally, add another 5-7 days of shipping back.
Doing a recall by a plane only is way too expensive. Sure it is quick but that'd cost a significant fraction of a chip manufacturing cost.

This is from news about a week ago, there's supposed to be a pic of R9 9900X:

Italian Zen 5 Review: Ryzen 9 9900X falls short against Ryzen 7 7800X3D in gaming - VideoCardz.com

Ryzen 9 9900X vs 7800X3D in gaming SaddyTech has the world’s first gaming review of Zen5. Italian tech reviewer SaddyTech has obtained a sample of AMD’s upcoming Ryzen 9 9900X processor shortly before its launch. Officially, these processors are set to be released next week, but it seems there...

videocardz.com

Take it with a grain of salt as well.

And what the hell happenned to that heatspreader in the lower bottom part? Someone tried to step on it?

As for the copyright, it seems okay to have (c) 2023 there.
Ryzen 9 7900X has some legit photos on the internet and there's (c) 2021 on them, despite 7900X being released on Sep 27th, 2022.

AMD Ryzen 9 7900X Specs

Raphael, 12 Cores, 24 Threads, 4.7 GHz, 170 W

www.techpowerup.com

Anyway, if this typo proves to be legit, then ... AMD is not far behind the Intel lol.

 

[CyberPomPom]

Although a 1 week delay for the R5/R7 and two weeks for the R9s really isn't long enough to fix a major issues, whatever it is must be pretty minor could even be bios related.

True, that's why I tend to believe AMD on this one : there was (a few I hope) defective CPUs that went through quality controls and they have been trying to get them back since they knew.
Hence the ~1 month delay (I don't believe that the 31st was the intended release day), It's just a recall and they have stock to follow through without having to replace every CPU made early.

 

[mtosev]

What a strange reason for a recall.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

True, that's why I tend to believe AMD on this one : there was (a few I hope) defective CPUs that went through quality controls and they have been trying to get them back since they knew.
Hence the ~1 month delay (I don't believe that the 31st was the intended release day), It's just a recall and they have stock to follow through without having to replace every CPU made early.

Considering none of the updated motherboards will be out till late Aug/Sep to me they seem like they were trying to rush these out for some reason.... Why would AMD and it's partners not want updated boards ready for these.

 

[Chomiq]

Hopefully this is the only issue that we will see with 9000 series.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

Hopefully this is the only issue that we will see with 9000 series.

It's AMD so there will def be at least 1-2 more minor issues comes with the territory lol..... Still none of them will be as bad as the current Raptor Lake fiasco lol.....

My guess is wonky bios on some 600 series boards.

 

[CyberPomPom]

Considering none of the updated motherboards will be out till late Aug/Sep to me they seem like they were trying to rush these out for some reason.... Why would AMD and it's partners not want updated boards ready for these.

They were rushing, hence the delayed release date. July 31st wasn't there initial plan or they would have said it from the start.
Probably to release most high value Zen5 products at the same time, with the laptop AI stuff, to get a bigger coverage.
For the motherboards the 800 chipset lineup is a straight renaming with the same promontory chips so it doesn't really matter to AMD. They already had a working BIOS so they just needed to release it. But their board partners feel probably a bit cross because they weren't given time to make the boards.

 

[Noci]

If this is really the reason for the delayed launch it is ridiculous but only a human error which should have been picked out by QC. But it would be a logical explanation for such a short delay, this can be easely fixed by laser etching the affected batch(es).

If it was something more serious, like hardware related or material related (imagine a bad batch of TIM under the IHS), it would be worse and more time consuming to fix.

But this is only speculations on my side

 

[ARF]

How long does it take to get it from Europe or North America back to Taiwan?

Not if it needs to travel all the way back to Taiwan.

The final assembly is done in Malaysia.

 

[Chaitanya]

Especially since some tech tubers are spreading FUD about AMD being in a similar situation to Intel.

Link please.

 

[Wirko]

This issue could easily be solved by blaming MB manufacturers, rounds of BIOS & microcode updates, and finally hiding the problem under the carpet.

Don't give them ideas! Corporations, well, just like individual people, are quick to learn bad behaviour from each other.

The elegant, witty, harmless and half-correct solution would be to add the Ryzen 9 9700X to the parts list on the website and everywhere else.

 

[Dave65]

Reading comment on other platforms really make me just shake my head... People questioning AMDs motives saying if it was just a typo then why delay because of writing on a box or CPU.. Imagine the lawsuit if someone got a CPU that says RYZEN 9 and to find out its just a Ryzen 5..