RSS Feeds
Hardware
Inquirer: Every Nvidia Graphics Card With G84 or G86 Chipset Is Ready to Die
Posted by Matt Buchanan at 5:15 AM on July 11, 2008
Those overheating Nvidia laptop graphics cards that are dying en masse? The Inquirer is reporting that "all the G84 and G86 parts are bad. Period. No exceptions," on mobile and desktop. Those chipsets are in pretty much every GeForce 8-series graphics card below the 8800s (here's a complete list of cards and chipsets). Notably, that means every MacBook Pro since the Santa Rosa update has the bad cards, which fail at a "higher-than-normal" rate.
The root of the problem is the substrate/bumping material, which Nvidia themselves had characterised as "weak." The G84 and G86 chipsets use the same application-specific integrated circuit, which the Inquirer has been told had no changes made to it during its life cycle--besides, Nvidia wouldn't change the assembly process or materials for a single batch, according to engineers. So Nvidia's official claim, that the weak materials were only used for a single batch, doesn't hold so much water. And as the Inquirer points out, their fix, to run the fan more to offseat the heat issue simply covers up the problem while it drains your battery.
If this is all true, Nvidia better have more than US$200 million set aside for fixes. [The Inquirer
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
TendoMentis
Posted 5:42 AM 11/7/08
FINALLY!!! I score some good luck with my computer hardware. Both my hand-built machine at home and my XPS laptop sidestep this problem.
TendoMentis
DashTheHand
Posted 5:39 AM 11/7/08
Oh good, this includes my fairly expensive laptop... And only a full year after I bought it. Time to check the warranty I guess.
DashTheHand
TBM-Fan
Posted 5:38 AM 11/7/08
wait is there a lifespan or so?
cause i have a 8600 GT card in my pc and i surely want that it outlives me
so where can i check when my card is to die?
need help :(
TBM-Fan
xevious11
Posted 5:36 AM 11/7/08
nothing will happen. stop worrying people. how many years has the 8600gt been alive, around 2 (i believe), it can continue for another 2 if you dont push it too much. and cards like that are dirt cheap now, so just get a newer better one
xevious11
Groggy Banana
Posted 5:34 AM 11/7/08
@pandasonic: Because that's how a real man does it.
I'll buy one of those nvidia thingys after I'm dead and frozen. I heard they need to keep cool.
Groggy Banana
Monty
Posted 5:33 AM 11/7/08
On the bright side, those moldy CGA cards in the closet may have actually gone up in value at this announcement. I hope ATI has a really nice pick-me-up bouquet they can send to Nvidia.
Monty
Captain Bringdown
Posted 5:31 AM 11/7/08
@MagnoliaBoy: Crysis Averted?
Captain Bringdown
GeekyNerdGuy
Posted 5:30 AM 11/7/08
8800 FTW in my real machine! Unfortunately it looks like my old HP HTPC won't be so lucky.
@MagnoliaBoy: Don't you mean Crysis averted???
GeekyNerdGuy
pandasonic
Posted 5:30 AM 11/7/08
Holy shit. I'm glad I've been waiting till 2010 to get a new computer (since 2005).
pandasonic
mildretard
Posted 5:28 AM 11/7/08
Yikes, and I almost bought a new MBP about twelve times over the last 6 weeks. Looks like me and my ol' G4 will be together for a bit longer. Never having had a problem with an Apple product I have to wonder how they'll sort this one out.
mildretard
Groggy Banana
Posted 5:28 AM 11/7/08
Somehow I still don't think ATI's are better. Maybe it's that weird green Nvidia eye @_@.
@MagnoliaBoy: I averted it too. That game is not for human machines. Period.
Groggy Banana
89macrunner
Posted 5:21 AM 11/7/08
my laptop and my desktop both have these cards..
Im gonna call apple and ask them about it. I am NOT risking my $3000 macbook pro to some stupid nvidia error
89macrunner
MagnoliaBoy
Posted 5:20 AM 11/7/08
Phew! Good think I went with the 8800. Crisis Averted.
MagnoliaBoy
thomasora
Posted 5:20 AM 11/7/08
considering what happened, Nvidia's stock hasn't dropped that much.... [www.google.com]
thomasora
Cats
Posted 5:19 AM 11/7/08
Poor Nvidia. It's ok. I still love you; you power-gobbling, heat producing bastards you.
But no really, I still lurve my 9800 GTX.
Cats
dorylomorphs
Posted 5:18 AM 11/7/08
have mercy
dorylomorphs
itchytooth
Posted 5:17 AM 11/7/08
Wow. That includes my laptop and my HTPC.
itchytooth
TendoMentis
Posted 6:10 AM 11/7/08
@Agent-199: I feel your pain. I researched the m1330 to death before getting it, and because of all the users who were getting total system failures from the 8400's in the m1330, I configured mine with the integrated x3100 instead (hey, I'm not really using something as small as an m1330 for gaming anyway).
In your position, I would call Dell and work my way up to a manager and request a replacement laptop with an x3100 chipset instead of the 8400. Yes, it will drop your gaming performance (what little the 8400 could do anyway), but your laptop also won't asplode on your nads in a few months.
Just sayin'.
TendoMentis
aR-Tard
Posted 6:08 AM 11/7/08
Scared me until you mentioned the part about 8800s being good.
*sigh of relief*
aR-Tard
hired_geek
Posted 6:07 AM 11/7/08
I smell burning! Oh wait, its a lawsuit....
hired_geek
lpranal
Posted 6:07 AM 11/7/08
now I feel a whole LOT better about being stuck with the ATI x1600pro in my MBP.
lpranal
drewls
Posted 6:06 AM 11/7/08
Cheap 8600GT's all around! FUD FTW! :D
drewls
heroineworshipper
Posted 6:05 AM 11/7/08
Rats. Now we have to bail out NVidia's mortgage payments too.
heroineworshipper
Sgt. Bilbo
Posted 6:04 AM 11/7/08
Well, that includes my new Dell XPS. Wonder when it'll finally croak?
Sgt. Bilbo
awdark
Posted 5:58 AM 11/7/08
@xevious11: High failure rates is not something we look forward to on a laptop. Although it would be a cheap chip like my 8400m in my HP. It would involve replacing the whole mobo if it were to go out, not something I am looking forward to after the 1 year warranty goes out.
awdark
Agent-199
Posted 5:58 AM 11/7/08
Just had all my m1330 guts replaced thanks to nVidia. Problem is, Dell just replaced everything exactly how it was configured before....so in 6 months I'll have to do this all again?
Thank God for 3 year next-day warranties....
Agent-199
victorj
Posted 5:53 AM 11/7/08
Guys, not gonna play the asshole here, but quoting the inq as a reliable source...is NOT GOOD.
They've been accurate just a couple of times.
Its just a heads up.
victorj
GiantEnemyCrab
Posted 5:53 AM 11/7/08
Wow, it would suck to be nVidia right now.
GiantEnemyCrab
eblingmis
Posted 5:50 AM 11/7/08
I had heat problems with my ole' 7800gt. I'll never buy a card with a single slot cooler again.
eblingmis
Mischif
Posted 5:50 AM 11/7/08
So what does happen with the MBPs? I'm going to buy one in early August and I want to know if they'll swap the card out before then or will just credit me for a new on when I get out to school.
Mischif
Trowble (XBL/PSN)
Posted 5:50 AM 11/7/08
I think I'm in the clear with my XPS M1210, but the thing gets hot like Hades all the time. So if this dies, then I'm screwed with getting on the internet.
Trowble (XBL/PSN)
trrosen
Posted 5:49 AM 11/7/08
suddenly the fact that Apple usually underclocks its laptop video cards (for less heat) seems to be a good thing.
trrosen
kOtic
Posted 5:47 AM 11/7/08
Nice goin' Nvidia..
kOtic
Boatski
Posted 5:44 AM 11/7/08
that means new cards in mbp! right?
Boatski
robot-shmobot
Posted 6:39 AM 11/7/08
@Rick36: Haha, i guess, but i think i'm going refrain from camping outside for an iphone, though i'm super jealous of your voice/data plans. relevance? um, none, wait, nvidia fries my balls. there. relevant.
robot-shmobot
N@tedog iiinnnnn spaaaaaaace!
Posted 6:31 AM 11/7/08
@N@tedog iiinnnnn spaaaaaaace!: Awww.. who made you shrink it?!?! Totally loses the effect.
N@tedog iiinnnnn spaaaaaaace!
N@tedog iiinnnnn spaaaaaaace!
Posted 6:29 AM 11/7/08
Terrific use of resolution scale Mr Buchanan. *clap clap clap*
N@tedog iiinnnnn spaaaaaaace!
Rener
Posted 6:29 AM 11/7/08
Do iMac's have laptop graphics cards?
Rener
Rick36
Posted 6:27 AM 11/7/08
@robot-shmobot: Stop complaining you sissy. You can have roasted nuts for free. You ought to see how much they cost from the street vendors at the entrance to Central Park in NYC by 5th Ave/57th St across from the Apple Store.
Rick36
robot-shmobot
Posted 6:21 AM 11/7/08
god damn! that's why my penryn MBP gets so fuckin hot. need a fix and soon. the summer is too hot to have an oven on your lap.
robot-shmobot
taciturnforsale
Posted 6:13 AM 11/7/08
Does this include the Quadro line? I just got a Quadro 3700 that I paid too much to have melt on me.
taciturnforsale
TonyRockyHorror
Posted 6:13 AM 11/7/08
Feeling pretty good about having a 1st-gen Macbook Pro, right about now. Early-adoption FTW!
TonyRockyHorror
robotleawesome
Posted 6:59 AM 11/7/08
Thank Jesus I run two 8800's
robotleawesome
Log1c
Posted 6:54 AM 11/7/08
Hah, shit. I got an 8600GTS as an rma for my 7800GT that died.
Oh well, the new rig is a G92 ftw!
Log1c
asten77
Posted 6:50 AM 11/7/08
I love it.. They miss no chances to put in an apple reference!
asten77
Coder4Life
Posted 6:40 AM 11/7/08
My bad.. 47% in 30 days..
Coder4Life
Coder4Life
Posted 6:39 AM 11/7/08
@thomasora: There stock has lost nearly 30% value in the past week.. what are you talking about.
Coder4Life
Mr.SithNinja
Posted 7:26 AM 11/7/08
ATI FTW!
Mr.SithNinja
laio
Posted 7:13 AM 11/7/08
Inq is a very reliable source, as they point out, mainly Laptops suffer from this problem, as their heat cycles are shorter, people turn on and off their lap more frequently, and things share a smaller space at the case. Then laptops more likely will have problems. Many HPs are allready goin to tech, and that's mainly the reason.
i was thinking about buying one of those hp se, with gef 8400, but guess now i will wait till next yr. OR GOOD DAMN PLEASE MAKE MORE LAPTOPS WITH DECENT ATI CHIPSET.
laio
loslosbaby
Posted 7:08 AM 11/7/08
Oh no, another late night ambulance chaser commercial. "Do you or anyone you know suffer from Hot Chip Syndrome?"
loslosbaby
strider_mt2k
Posted 7:48 AM 11/7/08
7600 GT AGP HAHAHA heh...hmmm
Still works tho. :|
strider_mt2k
Absent Blue
Posted 7:42 AM 11/7/08
And they called me a fool for buying my 8800GTS when it came out! Now who's the fool!!!
Absent Blue
davidfbecker
Posted 7:37 AM 11/7/08
Excrement! EVGA 8600GT. :(
I thought it was a tad on the warm side...
davidfbecker
alowishus
Posted 8:06 AM 11/7/08
The article mentions nothing about the MBP. Wonder if the MBP is more reliable because Apple underclocks the graphics cards to run cooler and use less energy. Hope so, cause I have a MBP with an 8600M GT in it. Oh, and I've spent hours playing WoW, which gets the graphics card so hot you could barbecue on it. No problems yet, knock on wood. Oh, and I'm definitely not proud that I've spent hours playing WoW.
Anyway, glad I have AppleCare.
alowishus
AquaMan09
Posted 8:36 AM 11/7/08
The article said that it was only confined to dell and hp.
AquaMan09
Odomzig
Posted 8:32 AM 11/7/08
Damn... posted twice. The first post I wrote wasn't showing up for some reason so I reposted and then poof, they both appeared simultaneously.
Odomzig
Odomzig
Posted 8:29 AM 11/7/08
So is the 8800 GS (the GPU in my new iMac) ok? I'd love an answer from anyone who knows... Thanks!
Odomzig
Odomzig
Posted 8:27 AM 11/7/08
So is the 8800 gs (the GPU in my new imac) ok? I'd love an answer from someone who knows... Thanks.
Odomzig
yuriythebest
Posted 8:26 AM 11/7/08
I have an NX 8600GTS am I at risk too
yuriythebest
bsoft
Posted 9:45 AM 11/7/08
This explains why my G84-based GeForce 8500GT card died.
I just hope that my ThinkPad T61 (Quadro NVS 140m) doesn't die.
bsoft
apu95
Posted 11:06 AM 11/7/08
G84?? Wait... I have an ASUS M50 series laptop, and it comes with a GeForce 9500M GS video card... when I look at GPU-Z, the GPU reported says "G84 M". Does that mean I'm screwed too??
apu95
strider_mt2k
Posted 10:59 AM 11/7/08
"8 Series, your life force is running out..."
"8 Series needs food badly..."
"8 Series is about to die..."
+ Watch video
strider_mt2k
ackthbbft
Posted 2:10 PM 11/7/08
@apu95: Either you're screwed, or GPU-Z hasn't been updated to recognize the 9500M for what it is.
ackthbbft
ackthbbft
Posted 2:08 PM 11/7/08
This explains SOOOOO much. My Dell Inspiron 1520 was extremely glitchy just running WoW. That is, until I flashed the BIOS and Dell finally updated their 8600M GT drivers. I'm guessing that those patches increased the use of the cooling fan, correcting the issues I was having.
Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if it eventually craps out completely. Good thing I got the extended warranties on it, so they can upgrade me to a nice XPS with an 8800M or higher chip when it does crap out!
ackthbbft
Ryanraven
Posted 3:14 PM 11/7/08
Good thing i bought my MBP like 2 weeks before the santa rosa update!! and i always thought it was a bad thing.
Ryanraven
Townie
Posted 9:02 PM 11/7/08
dammit i got a mac book pro.... (never ever thought i'd say that :f )
Townie
shifuimam
Posted 12:53 AM 12/7/08
GAH! MacBook Pros are not Santa Rosa. They never were. Ever. They never will be, unless Apple quits using Broadcom-based wireless cards and switches to the Intel Pro/Wirless line.
They have Merom or Penyrn processors with the Crestline chipset, but they are not Santa Rosa.
Yes, I am a geek. I am also OCD and am far too educated on Intel's Centrino platform. Whoever started this BS that MacBook Pros are Santa Rosa needs to be shot in the face with a potato gun.
shifuimam
DMF
Posted 9:42 PM 12/7/08
Sweet. Maybe this will drive AMD stock up. (I can dream can't I?)
DMF
ArmyCats
Posted 3:44 AM 14/7/08
Updated my HP notebook's bios to latest version (issued a month ago) and now the fan never turns off. When idling it stays at a very low speed. I guess that's HP's way of solving the issue... :P Now my notebook will have less battery life...
ArmyCats
d5280
Posted 6:59 AM 11/7/08
Hey I already had this happen to me!!!!
2 weeks ago! luckily my mac was in the shop for a day, but it was painful. the test is after you boot it up if you have no action on the screen, plugin an external display and do a hardboot, if you still can't get anything, then take it in to your apple store.
of course it's always good to check to see if you turned down the screen with the dimmer at night, like i sometimes do.
d5280
tsvb
Posted 5:23 AM 11/7/08
So how do I finagle a new MBP out of this?
tsvb