Cell yields 'horrible', sources claim

SOURCES CLAIM that yields of the Cell microprocessor for the Playstation 3 are not good. A process mole tells us that the Cell yields are far enough below par that the amounts of good dies off the test wafers are "horrible".

The problem is that IBM and Sony designed the chip for some very aggressive process technologies that did not materialise in the way the fab boys were expecting. Because of this, we are told Sony is scrambling to get yields up before it has to make them for real, a fast approaching deadline.

Will it get it done? Who knows. Will it be able to make enough to satisfy initial demand? Not a chance. Then again, in consoles, what else is new?µ