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Technology Stocks : CYRIX / NSM
NSM 18.270.0%Jul 31 5:00 PM EST
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To: Paul Engel who wrote (30291)11/18/1998 1:02:00 AM
From: Joe NYC  Read Replies (4) of 33344
 
Paul,

I'd choose the 0.25 micron and figure out why it couldn't provide the necessary speed.

While they have .18u process that does? Suppose your target is to make chips in 300 to 400 MHz range that are very cheap to produce.

Suppose your .25u process is yielding chip centered just below 300 MHz and .18u process around 350 MHz. Why waste resources trying to tweek your .25u process to maybe reach 350 MHz, when you already have a process running at that speed with chips coincidently being is 30% cheaper to produce?

If NSM had a lot of .25u equipment sitting idle as a result of the decision to go with .18u, that would be a consideration. But that is not the case either. The existing .25u equipment will be used to make MediaGX and LAN chips. NSM has to buy equipment for the fab that is still probably more than half empty. Why not buy equipment capable of .18u process or better?

Cyrix/NSM doesn't seem to have a grasp of process technology / design interaction.

That comes from the legacy of having to design your chips "genericly", without a particular process technology in mind. Cayenne still suffers from it partially. I think M3 will be able to benefit from knowing the process technology during the design.

Joe
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