Bumpgate: Difference between revisions
Started the page and wrote the intro paragraph to it. (Will be fleshing this out more later.) |
Added PS3 consumer response, lots more minor edits, and some comments. Also added a paragraph about the PS3 Story 2 video in "Misdiagnosis and Faults", but see my comment at the top of that section. |
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'''Bumpgate''', also known as '''Nvidiagate''', was a scandal where [[Nvidia]] Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) were prone to high failure rates due to a design flaw that led to cracked solder bumps under the die. | [[File:Underfilled Die.png|alt=The image shows a diagram of a computer processor. On the bottom, there is a green rectangle labeled "substrate". On top of the substrate, there is a black rectangle labeled "chip", which refers to the die. Between the die and the substrate, there are small silver bumps equally spaced apart, encased within a white "filling". The bumps are the solder bumps connecting the die to the substrate, and the white filling is the underfill- meant to strengthen the solder bumps.|thumb|A diagram of a computer processor. When the underfill becomes too soft at any point in the processor's normal operating temperatures, the solder bumps under the die ("chip") can crack, disconnecting the die from the substrate. This leads to the processor failing, and in turn, leads to a critical system failure for the device it's in.]] | ||
'''Bumpgate''', also known as '''Nvidiagate''', was a scandal where [[Nvidia]] and ATI Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) were prone to high failure rates due to a design flaw that led to cracked solder bumps under the die.<ref name=":0" /> Despite the "Nvidiagate" name, this defect not only affected many Nvidia GPUs made from approximately 2006 to 2010, but it also affected ATI GPUs from 2006 to 2008. Among retro console enthusiasts, the defect is best known to have been the likely culprit behind the high failure rate of Nvidia GPUs in [[Sony]]'s early PlayStation 3 models<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=RIP Felix |first= |date=23 Dec 2022 |title=A PS3 Story: The Yellow Light of Death |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za7WTNwAX0c |url-status=live |access-date=2 Jun 2025 |website=YouTube}}</ref> and ATI GPUs in [[Microsoft]]'s early Xbox 360 models.<ref name=":3" /> Individuals interested in other retro computers may know of the defect from certain models of Dell and HP laptops manufactured as early as 2005 and as late as 2010, as well as certain Apple Macbook Pros made from May 2007 to September 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Affected Models |url=http://www.nvidiasettlement.com/affectedmodels.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101001080616/http://www.nvidiasettlement.com/affectedmodels.html |archive-date=1 Oct 2010 |access-date=7 Jun 2025 |website=The NVIDIA GPU Litigation}}</ref> | |||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
== | ===Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Faults=== | ||
From approximately 2005-2010, GPU manufacturers Nvidia and ATI developed some GPUs that had a serious design flaw. This flaw led to failures in many of their GPUs during that time period, and Nvidia even saw a lawsuit from it. In order to understand what truly happened during this controversy, though, it's important to understand what exactly led to the faults. | |||
These manufacturers had engineered GPUs that electrically connected the silicon chip (die) to the substrate (the "green square part") using high-lead solder bumps. High-lead solder bumps were chosen in order to fit the power delivery specifications that these GPUs needed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Rob |date=29 Sep 2008 |title=NVIDIA at a Disadvantage Due to their Choice of Solder? |url=https://techgage.com/news/nvidia_at_a_disadvantage_due_to_their_choice_of_solder/ |url-status=live |access-date=1 Jun 2025 |website=Techgage}}</ref> To give these solder bumps more strength (especially when operating at high temperatures), it's standard to use an epoxy with silica filler known as underfill. Underfill needs to fit certain specifications, depending on how hot the processor it's used on is expected to get. If it's too hard, the underfill will crack the die. If it's too soft, it'll crack the bumps. It also needs to still fit within the right specifications at both high and low temperatures. | |||
=== | In 2006, IBM and Amkor published a study that explained that use of a low T<sub>g</sub> underfill was not acceptable with high-lead solder bumps, and high T<sub>g</sub> would be necessary to avoid defects.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ray |first=S. |last2=Kiyono |first2=S. |last3=Waite |first3=K. |last4=Nicholls |first4=L. |date=2006 |title=Qualification of low-K 90nm Technology Die with Pb-free Bumps on | ||
a Build-up Laminate Package (PBGA) with Pb-free Assembly Processes |journal=56th Electronic Components and Technology Conference |pages=139-144 |via=IEEE}}</ref> Therefore, because Nvidia and ATI chose to use high-lead solder bumps, they needed a high T<sub>g</sub> underfill. However, this study was not out at the time that GPUs from 2005 were made, and the companies ended up using low T<sub>g</sub> underfill in these processors. | |||
This low T<sub>g</sub> underfill would become too soft at high, but normal operating temperatures for these GPUs. When the processor went through normal thermal changes, the solder bumps would soften under heat and harden as they cooled.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Demerjian |first=Charlie |date=1 Sep 2008 |title=Why Nvidia's chips are defective |url=http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1004378/why-nvidia-chips-defective |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520152257/http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1004378/why-nvidia-chips-defective |archive-date=20 May 2009 |access-date=1 Jun 2025 |website=The Inquirer}}</ref> This would happen over and over again until they cracked under the thermal stress. When enough solder bumps cracked, it would cause a failure in the unit, hence the term "Bumpgate". | |||
== | ==Companies involved and responses== | ||
{{ | Bumpgate was a worldwide issue for any consumer that purchased these defective graphics processors. However, it's not fully clear who was the most responsible for the incident. Building a GPU is a specialized process that requires it to go through multiple partner companies before ultimately ending up with the company that sells the unit (i.e., Microsoft, Sony, etc.). With this in mind, it is still important to note the response of each of the companies that were the public faces involved in this incident. | ||
====Microsoft's Response - The "Red Ring of Death"==== | |||
[[File:GPU early.jpg|alt=An image of a 90 nanometer graphics processing unit from a Microsoft Xbox 360. The die is in the center of the green square, and the eDRAM is located to the left of it. The die has dark greenish low Tg underfill under it, indicating that it is defective.|thumb|200x200px|A ''defective'' 90nm "Xenos" GPU from an '''early''' Xbox 360 (Xenon revision). Note the large die in the center of the chip, and the dark greenish underfill. The color of the underfill is one way to tell if the chip has the low T<sub>g</sub> underfill.]]<blockquote>''"The breakthrough came when we understood that the connections that were being broken were not located on the motherboard, but they were actually located inside the components."'' | |||
- Leo Del Castillo, member of Xbox's hardware engineering group; ''Power On: The Story of Xbox (2021)''<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Xbox |date=13 Dec 2021 |title=Power On: The Story of Xbox {{!}} Chapter 5: The Red Ring of Death |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2d6IMBS8oY |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/power-on-the-story-of-xbox/The+Story+of+the+Xbox+-+Chapter+5/Power+On+-+The+Story+of+Xbox+-+Chapter+5+-+The+Red+Ring+of+Death.mp4 |archive-date=13 Dec 2021 |access-date=4 Jun 2025 |website=YouTube}}</ref></blockquote>In November 2005, Microsoft released the Xbox 360 with the ATI Xenos GPU. According to leaked internal Microsoft documents from the time, 1.2 million 360s shipped out to consumers by November 30th, 2005. 3% of customers had some type of issue with their system. Out of that 3%, 19% had three flashing red rings, and 24% had freezing problems. <!-- I would like to find the leaked documents that say this so that I can cite it properly. However, if I can't find it at some point (or there are any objections to citing a leaked document- even for this old info), I'll just cite Felix's video. -V --> | |||
Therefore, 43% of consumers shortly after launch had these familiar symptoms to retro console enthusiasts: the "Red Ring of Death"- which is what consumers around the world called the Xbox 360's Bumpgate-related fault. However, "three flashing red rings" on the Xbox 360 simply means "core digital error"- in other words, a general hardware failure. As it takes multiple power-on cycles to cause a failure in the solder bumps, it is unlikely that these systems were failing specifically because of the Bumpgate defect. 56% of systems worked on the first try, and after component reworks, that number improved to 71%. Only 200,000 consoles went to what Microsoft termed "the bonepile", a collection of broken consoles that still did not work after a component rework. However, it is also worth noting that some afflicted Xbox 360s will work again after a "reflow"- which is effectively redoing all of the components on the motherboard at once. In addition, Microsoft wasn't aware that the "Red Ring of Death" was a specific widespread problem yet, so they would not have been taking major note of consoles with a GPU problem. At the height of the Bumpgate-related defect, approximately 600,000 to one million Xbox 360s were suffering from the "Red Ring of Death". | |||
[[File:GPU late.jpg|alt=An image of a 65 nanometer graphics processing unit from a Microsoft Xbox 360. The die is in the center of the green square, and the eDRAM is located to the left of it. The die has a light, whitish underfill- indicating that it is not one of the defective units.|thumb|204x204px|A ''non-defective'' 65nm "Xenos" GPU from a later revision of Xbox 360 (Jasper V2 on "Kronos 1" package). Note the smaller die and the light, whitish underfill.]] | |||
For several months, Microsoft had consumers pay to repair their consoles. However, in 2007, they chose to extend the warranty for Xbox 360 consoles displaying an E74 error (an on-screen error also associated with "Red Ring of Death") from one year from date of purchase, to three years from date of purchase. This allowed most consumers who had consoles with the issue to get their consoles refurbished. In addition, they refunded any consumers who had paid to have their afflicted systems repaired.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Peter |date=2007 |title=Open Letter From Peter Moore |url=http://xbox.com/en-ca/support/petermooreletter.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023004948/http://xbox.com/en-ca/support/petermooreletter.htm |archive-date=23 Oct 2007 |access-date=4 Jun 2025 |website=Xbox}}</ref> | |||
Microsoft primarily seemed to have done this to protect the Xbox brand. The Xbox 360 was only their second console, and the original Xbox hadn't done as well as they'd hoped it would. Microsoft confirmed this in Chapter 5 of their 2021 documentary, ''Power On: The Story of Xbox''.<ref name=":3" /> | |||
By 2009, the cause of the issue was confirmed to be "within the components"- the low T<sub>g</sub> underfill. ATI and Microsoft completely fixed the issue in Xbox 360s made after this point. | |||
====Sony's Response - The "Yellow Light of Death"==== | |||
<blockquote>''"We entirely refute the suggestion that PS3 consoles have an inherent defect or other design issue which is akin to any warranty issue experienced by another console manufacturer. [...] We think it is highly unfair to suggest that from an installed base of 2.5 million that the numbers you mention somehow are evidence of a 'manufacturing defect'..."'' | |||
- Ray Maguire, managing director and senior vice president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe in 2009; in a letter responding to a BBC Watchdog segment covering the "Yellow Light of Death".<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last=BBC |date=18 Sep 2009 |title=Sony rebuts BBC PlayStation claim |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8263063.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250219154020/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8263063.stm |archive-date=19 Feb 2025 |access-date=4 Jun 2025 |website=BBC NEWS}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Matt |date=17 Sep 2009 |title=Sony tackles BBC over 'PS3 failure' report |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/sony-tackles-bbc-over-ps3-failure-report |url-status=live |access-date=10 Jun 2025 |website=Gamesindustry.biz}}</ref></blockquote>In November 2006, Sony released the PlayStation 3. Like the Xbox 360, the early models of PlayStation 3 had what consumers believe to be Bumpgate-related issues with their Nvidia-based RSX GPU. Many consumers who had bought launch models- what are now commonly known as "PlayStation 2 backwards compatible" models- found that their systems were malfunctioning. PlayStation 3 systems that were exhibiting the issue may freeze suddenly during gameplay and shut off, but all users who dealt with the defect had a common experience: when turning their PlayStation 3 on, the LED power indicator would turn green for a moment, then the system would beep three times, very briefly flash to a yellow light, then it would blink red. This was coined by consumers as the "Yellow Light of Death". | |||
BBC Watchdog aired a segment in 2009 covering the "Yellow Light of Death".<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=HelpForPS3 (Reuploader) |last2=BBC |date=17 Dec 2009 |title=Sony PS3 Yellow Light of Death - BBC |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_ef8bDQktI |url-status=live |access-date=3 Jun 2025 |website=YouTube}}</ref> The hosts stated that when viewers called Sony because their console was malfunctioning, Sony told them that it could have been for a variety of reasons, and they couldn't determine exactly what the problem was without disassembling the console having the issue. While all of this is true- the LED indicators do simply indicate a general hardware failure that requires detailed troubleshooting- it is worth noting that by August 2008, Sony was building consoles with the 65nm RSX<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=R. |date=26 Jun 2008 |title=PS3 graphics chip going 65nm this Fall |url=https://www.engadget.com/2008-06-26-ps3-graphics-chip-going-65nm-this-fall.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924101930/https://www.engadget.com/2008-06-26-ps3-graphics-chip-going-65nm-this-fall.html |archive-date=24 Sep 2021 |access-date=3 Jun 2025 |website=Engadget}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=NVIDIA Playstation 3 GPU 65nm Specs |url=https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/playstation-3-gpu-65nm.c1682 |url-status=live |access-date=3 Jun 2025 |website=TechPowerUp GPU Database}}</ref>, which has been confirmed by enthusiasts to not suffer from the theoretically Bumpgate-related fault.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=RIP Felix |date=15 Jan 2024 |title=A 360 Story - The RED Ring of Death & the 7th Generation Console War |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qKtS_uxdcU |url-status=live |access-date=2 Jun 2025 |website=YouTube}}</ref> | |||
Sony never issued a recall or extended warranty for these systems; all consumers had to pay out of their own pocket if they wanted their consoles repaired, unless the system failed during the standard one-year warranty period. According to one of the individuals interviewed in BBC's Watchdog segment, if the system was outside of its one year warranty period, they would have to pay £128 (~$173) to get the system fixed, and they would only provide customers with a three-month post-repair warranty. If it failed again after that point, they would have to pay out of pocket again. Keeping in mind that the fault was very likely caused by a GPU defect, this possibility was very likely unless Sony's repair technicians replaced the defective 90nm GPU with a non-defective one, which they were able to do for some consoles. In addition, the console would also be reset during the repair, meaning that the owner would lose all data that was not backed up prior to the failure, such as game saves.<ref name=":1" /><!-- Felix also mentions the official "Frankies" in the PS3 Story video, but there's a primary source for it that I need to find. -V --> | |||
Instead of admitting that there was a defect and issuing an extended warranty to consumers (like Microsoft did) Sony simply quietly fixed the defect around the same time that Microsoft did for the Xbox 360, so PS3 "slim" revisions and newer were not affected. Specifically, it was only 90nm GPUs that appeared to have low T<sub>g</sub> underfill- and hence, the defect. | |||
As of 2025, Sony has still never made a statement confirming that "Yellow Light of Death", their likely Bumpgate-related issue, was a widespread problem in early PlayStation 3 models. The only reason that consumers know that the RSX was likely afflicted by Bumpgate is thanks to console repair and modding enthusiasts- who had to do extensive research to find out the true cause of the problem. It was clear from the timeline of what systems have been observed to be reliable or unreliable revisions,<ref name=":4" /> as well as tests performed by console repair and modding enthusiasts,<ref name=":14">{{Cite web |last=RIP Felix |date=9 Jun 2025 |title=A PS3 Story 2: Defending BumpGate Theory |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpjtRjGPLhI |url-status=live |access-date=10 Jun 2025 |website=YouTube}}</ref> that this was a Bumpgate-related defect. | |||
====Dell's and HP's Responses - BIOS Updates and Free Repairs==== | |||
HP and Dell both distributed BIOS updates for affected systems with Nvidia GPUs that according to The Inquirer, "[ran] the fan all the time".<ref name=":5" /> The purpose of this was to attempt to prevent the problem from occurring so that consumers wouldn't have to get their systems repaired. However, both companies also offered free repairs for systems already exhibiting symptoms of a failing GPU, such as no video output to the monitor or the computer failing to boot. Both companies also offered varying limited warranties after impacted devices were repaired. HP offered a limited warranty for 24 months (two years) after the start of customers' original limited warranty or 90 days (approximately three months) after the notebook was repaired- whichever was later.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=HP |date=2008 |title=HP Pavilion dv2000/dv6000/dv9000 and Compaq Presario v3000/v6000 Series Notebook PCs - HP Limited Warranty Service Enhancement |url=http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&docname=c01087277 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080710172852/http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&docname=c01087277 |archive-date=10 Jul 2008 |access-date=8 Jun 2025 |website=HP Customer Care}}</ref> Dell extended limited warranties for systems with these issues for 12 months (one year) from the original purchase date, with a maximum of up to 60 months (five years). In addition, they offered this even to customers whose warranties already expired, from the date the initial warranty expired.<ref>{{Cite web |last=BlueScreenDeath |first= |last2=Menchaca |first2=Lionel |date=23 Sep 2008 |title=Dell Warranty Extension Due to Nvidia Defect |url=https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/locked-topics-laptops-general/dell-warranty-extension-due-to-nvidia-defect/647e9a01f4ccf8a8de2c999e |url-status=live |access-date=8 Jun 2025 |website=Dell Community}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Meyer |first=David |date=19 Aug 2008 |title=Dell extends warranties after GPU fault |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/dell-extends-warranties-after-gpu-fault/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 Jun 2025 |website=ZDNet}}</ref><!-- Quick note on the Dell Warranty citation (from the Dell Community forums): I could not find the real original source. The links to the original are dead, and not archived- so I had to make do. --> | |||
====Apple's Response - Macbook Pro, May 2007 - September 2008==== | |||
In May 2007, Apple released a version of the aluminum Macbook Pro that used the Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT GPU, and manufactured the computers with this GPU until September 2008. It just so happened that this was one of the GPUs affected by Bumpgate. Unlike the issues with the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 where the system wouldn't even boot, consumers ran into distorted video or no video output on their devices. Nvidia had assured Apple that the graphics processors were not defective, so Apple initially ignored reports expressing that possibility.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Foresman |first=Chris |date=10 Oct 2008 |title=Apple: NVIDIA chips to blame for MacBook Pro video problems |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2008/10/apple-nvidia-chips-to-blame-for-macbook-pro-video-problems/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 Jun 2025 |website=Ars Technica}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Buchanan |first=Matt |date=10 Oct 2008 |title=Apple Confirms Failing Nvidia Graphics Cards in MacBook Pros, Offers Free Repairs and Refunds |url=https://gizmodo.com/apple-confirms-failing-nvidia-graphics-cards-in-macbook-5061605 |url-status=live |access-date=7 Jun 2025 |website=Gizmodo}}</ref> However, after doing their own investigation, Apple had found that the processors were indeed defective. Because of this, Apple offered extended repair coverage adding up to four years from the date of original purchase, and refunded customers who already paid to repair systems affected by this defect.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Apple Support |date=18 Nov 2014 |title=MacBook Pro: Distorted video or no video issues |url=http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203254 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141202230527/http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203254 |archive-date=2 Dec 2014 |access-date=7 Jun 2025 |website=Apple}}</ref> | |||
====Nvidia's Response - Inquirer Accusations and SEC Report==== | |||
[[File:Nvidia G80, G84 and G86 size comparison.jpg|alt=Three GPU dies are lined up in a row, from largest to smallest, left to right: the Nvidia G80, then the G84, then the G86. The internals of the dies are visible.|thumb|Image of the Nvidia G80, G84, and G86's dies (left-to-right). The G84 and the G86 GPUs are known to have been impacted by the Bumpgate defect.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Demerjian |first=Charlie |date=9 Jul 2008 |title=All Nvidia G84 and G86s are bad |url=http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/07/09/nvidia-g84-g86-bad |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080710121746/http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/07/09/nvidia-g84-g86-bad |archive-date=10 Jul 2008 |access-date=7 Jun 2025 |website=The Inquirer}}</ref>]] | |||
''See also: Lawsuit(s)''<blockquote>''[As of July 2, 2008, all] newly manufactured products and all products currently shipping in volume have a different and more robust material set. [...] We intend to fully support our customers in their repair and replacement of these impacted MCP and GPU products that fail.'' | |||
- Martin Burkett, Nvidia Chief Financial Officer, Form 8-K report to SEC.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Burkett |first=Marvin |last2=United States Securities and Exchange Commission |date=2 Jul 2008 |title=Form 8-K |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1045810/000119312508145974/d8k.htm |url-status=live |access-date=8 Jun 2025 |website=SEC}}</ref></blockquote>Nvidia processors were not the only ones affected by the defect (i.e., the Xbox 360's ATI Xenos GPU), but they seem to have been the most heavily impacted. There were a wide variety of Nvidia graphics processors across multiple architectures impacted by this defect, but the earliest confirmed system with the defect appears to have been manufactured in December 2005, and the latest systems were manufactured in late February 2010. | |||
The defects were being noticed broadly amongst consumers around July 2008, particularly when ''The Inquirer'' published reports that drew attention to the problems.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Buchanan |first=Matt |date=3 Jul 2008 |title=Lots of Nvidia Laptop Graphics Cards Are Overheating, Dying |url=https://gizmodo.com/lots-of-nvidia-laptop-graphics-cards-are-overheating-d-5021713 |url-status=live |access-date=7 Jun 2025 |website=Gizmodo}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> Charlie Demerjian, reporter for ''The Inquirer'', firmly presented claims and evidence that every G84 and G86 GPU was defective- including desktop GPUs- even accusing Nvidia of attempting to cover up the problems. | |||
On July 2nd, 2008- a few days before Demerjian's article was published- Nvidia filed a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).<ref name=":10" /> The report explained that the corporation would pay a $150-200 million one-time charge to cover customer warranties, repair, returns, replacements, and other notable expenses caused by poor packaging material in some of their multi-chip packages (MCPs) and GPUs exclusively used in laptops. This report also confirmed that all of their newly manufactured products from that point forward would have a more suitable material set. | |||
As Joel Hruska from Ars Technica explained, if Nvidia ''was'' trying to cover up the defect- as Demerjian claimed- with this report to the SEC, they not only attempted to avoid responsibility and accused their suppliers of causing the problem, they also committed financial fraud by intentionally lowballing their expected financial losses. This is a major accusation that could have had severe consequences for Nvidia.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last=Hruska |first=Joel |date=16 Jul 2008 |title=NVIDIA denies rumors of faulty chips, mass GPU failures |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2008/07/nvidia-denies-rumors-of-mass-gpu-failures/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 Jun 2025 |website=Ars Technica}}</ref> However, it is difficult to verify if Nvidia was lying or simply not fully aware of the scale of Bumpgate. Nvidia's public acknowledgement of the defect in the SEC report is consistent with when Sony switched the PlayStation 3 to the non-defective 65nm Nvidia RSX,<ref name=":6" /> and it also seems to be consistent with when Dell<ref name=":8" /> and HP<ref name=":7" /> discovered the problem. The only company it does not appear consistent with is Apple, who discovered the defect in their Macbook Pro systems after their own investigation in September 2008.<ref name=":9" /> Even so, it is possible that Nvidia did not know that the GeForce 8600M GT GPUs in the 2007-2008 Macbook Pro were impacted yet when Apple asked them about it. | |||
Regardless of if Nvidia was truthful in their report or not, they denied the claims that individuals like Demerjian were making- that their GPUs were defective and failing en masse.<ref name=":11" /> However, by 2010, consumers' trust in Nvidia had eroded to the point that a class action lawsuit was filed because of the defect. | |||
==Nvidia Lawsuit (2010)== | |||
===Claims=== | ===Claims=== | ||
| Line 20: | Line 69: | ||
===Rebuttal=== | ===Rebuttal=== | ||
The response of | The response of Nvidia or counterclaims. | ||
===Outcome=== | ===Outcome=== | ||
The outcome of the suit, if | The outcome of the suit. (Settlement) | ||
==Consumer response== | |||
[Summary and key issues of prevailing sentiment from the consumers and commentators that can be documented via articles, emails to support, reviews and forum posts. General Consumer Response (frustration at/satisfaction with Microsoft, Sony, etc.)] | |||
===Xbox 360/Microsoft Consumer response=== | |||
At first, consumers were angry at Microsoft. During the months that Microsoft would not acknowledge the widespread "Red Ring of Death", many consumers felt as if they'd been tricked and made a bad investment when they purchased an Xbox 360. However, when Microsoft extended the warranty on Xbox 360s experiencing an E74 error to three years after purchase, consumer sentiment improved. After Microsoft's explanation and confirmation of the exact issue that caused the "Red Ring of Death" in ''Power On: The Story of Xbox''<ref name=":3" />, many consumers who remembered dealing with this issue felt further validated, restoring some trust in Microsoft and the Xbox brand. The release of this information also helped enthusiasts learn more about how to fix the issue not only in early Xbox 360s, but even in Sony's early PlayStation 3 systems- as this helped to elucidate the true cause of the early PS3s' problems. | |||
===PlayStation 3/Sony Consumer Response=== | |||
Consumers who experienced the "Yellow Light of Death" were upset with Sony for their poor response. Some, such as PS3 modding and repair enthusiast "RIP Felix", described Sony's response as "gaslighting"<ref name=":2" />- saying that Sony had manipulated consumers into thinking that there was no widespread defect. The six-page letter from Ray Maguire to the BBC following their Watchdog segment takes a tone that supports Felix's claim<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":13" />; By 2009, Sony had stopped producing PS3s with the defective 90nm RSX- which left many consumers suspicious that Sony was trying to cover up the problem to avoid taking responsibility for it. | |||
==Consumer response== | In 2006, when the PlayStation 3 was new, the console costed $599 USD for the 60GB model ($499 USD for the 20GB model).<ref name=":3" /> This was a major price to pay for a game console; the Nintendo Wii launched at $249.99 USD in November 2006,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sanders |first=Kathleen |last2=Casamassina |first2=Matt |date=14 Sep 2006 |title=US Wii Price, Launch Date Revealed |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/09/14/us-wii-price-launch-date-revealed |url-status=live |access-date=10 Jun 2025 |website=IGN}}</ref> and the Xbox 360 launched in late November 2005 at $399 USD ($299 USD for the Core System version).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Surette |first=Tim |date=17 Aug 2005 |title=Xbox 360 pricing revealed: $299 and $399 models due at launch |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/xbox-360-pricing-revealed-299-and-399-models-due-at-launch-6131245 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605013951/http://www.gamespot.com/news/xbox-360-pricing-revealed-299-and-399-models-due-at-launch-6131245 |archive-date=5 Jun 2013 |access-date=10 Jun 2025 |website=GameSpot}}</ref> Because of the extremely high price compared to competitors, consumers felt that they were making a major investment in a high quality system that would be well-supported if there were a defect. Instead, Sony refused to acknowledge the "Yellow Light of Death", denied how widespread it was in their only official rebuttal, and made consumers pay for an issue that was never their fault. Some consumers who dealt with the "Yellow Light of Death" paid Sony to repair their systems, but others decided to simply consider it a loss. For consumers whose systems failed after the "Slim" models came out, some of them chose to re-purchase the cheaper, allegedly more reliable Slim models. At the time, it was assumed that these models were not prone to "Yellow Light of Death" (they have since been confirmed completely non-defective), but there was still some uncertainty among the community at the time. However, others gave up on Sony entirely, switching to other platforms- particularly, the Xbox 360. | ||
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As a result of the poor response from Sony, consumers largely took things into their own hands. When the PS3 was still supported, informed consumers were sure to warn prospective buyers that the "backwards compatible" and "phat" models of PS3 were prone to the "Yellow Light of Death", that Sony wouldn't fix it for free, and even if they were willing to send it in for repairs, the system would be reset. In the United Kingdom, there was the BBC Watchdog segment that- while misguided on the cause of the problem- did inform consumers across the UK about the issues, so they knew to avoid these early PS3s and choose a newer Slim model if they wanted a PS3. | |||
As of 2025, nearly every consumer knows about the reliability issues of the early, "backwards compatible" PlayStation 3s. Despite this, though, these systems are quite popular among retro console repair and modding enthusiasts particularly for their ability to play not only original PlayStation games, but also PlayStation 2 games. This is especially enticing to consumers who own a PlayStation 5, which is capable of playing PlayStation 4 games, so a person could play any PlayStation game across any generation on legitimate hardware with only two consoles. Of course, the reliability issues of these early PS3s is a major downside, so the community has been looking for ways to permanently repair these systems for nearly two decades. In recent years, a breakthrough was made with the discovery of officially repaired early PS3s by transplanting a non-defective 65nm or 45nm RSX into the consoles, and the subsequent development of the "Frankenstein Mod" that is effectively the same procedure. | |||
===Nvidia Consumer Response=== | |||
Based on various facts (e.g., Bumpgate affected the Xbox 360's ''ATI'' graphics processor), Nvidia was likely not fully responsible for the underfill defect. In fact, they alleged in the SEC report that it was their packaging company that caused the problem. However, their appearance of a poor response to the defect ultimately left consumers very angry with the company- enough to prompt a class-action lawsuit. | |||
===Misdiagnosis/Poor Repair of Faults=== | |||
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There was a lot of speculation among affected consumers as to why so many GPUs were failing, and theories tended to vary between communities for devices. For example, consumers who purchased an Xbox 360 from this era<ref>{{Cite web |last=Enever |first=Liam |date=1 Oct 2017 |title=Why has my got the red ring of death (sic) |url=https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/430460/Why+has+my+got+the+red+ring+of+death |url-status=live |access-date=4 Jun 2025 |website=iFixIt Answers Forum}}</ref> and even some independent repair technicians<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 Apr 2014 |title=Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death: Why Lead-Free Solder or Solder Failure Are the Problem |url=https://electronicfix.com.au/console-repairs/what-does-the-rrod-mean/ |url-status=live |access-date=4 Jun 2025 |website=The Electronic Fix}}</ref> assumed that the issue was caused by Microsoft using lead-free solder balls- used to connect the Xenos GPU to the motherboard- in order to meet new-at-the-time RoHS standards in the European Union. Many blamed it on the more brittle nature of non-leaded solder balls compared to traditional leaded ones. Others thought it was related to the solder balls' melting point, and that the console getting too hot and literally "desoldering" the GPU. These misconceptions largely faded into obscurity when Microsoft released the Jasper and Falcon revisions of the Xbox 360, and announced their extended warranty on their defective consoles. They were dispelled entirely with the release of Chapter 5 of ''Power On: The Story of Xbox''<ref name=":3" />, where hardware engineers for Xbox during this era explained the problem. | |||
With the PlayStation 3, much of the same speculation happened as with the Xbox 360. However, because the defect was never acknowledged as such by Sony, it was far less clear to consumers what exactly was causing the fault in consumers' machines. Long after the PS3 was no longer supported by Sony, this led many retro console and repair enthusiasts to make poorly informed choices in how to attempt to repair their devices. By 2018, many owners were also convinced for some time that the fault wasn't even related to their RSX GPU, but rather, the NEC-Tokin capacitors surrounding it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Naked_Snake1995 |date=15 Jul 2019 |title=(Research/Experimental) - NEC/TOKIN Capacitors Replacement - YLOD |url=https://www.psx-place.com/threads/research-experimental-nec-tokin-capacitors-replacement-ylod.25260/ |url-status=live |access-date=4 Jun 2025 |website=PSX-Place}}</ref> The reason for the misconception was because Toshiba laptops from the same era had their NEC-Tokins fail prematurely due to a design flaw specific to those laptops. Some general hardware failures can be caused by the PS3's NEC-Tokin capacitors failing (primarily due to age), but Sony had designed the motherboard correctly when placing the NEC-Tokins- so they would not fail prematurely. It was not until 2022-2025 that this misconception was largely corrected amongst the community, and the true defect was identified as likely to be Bumpgate-related.<ref name=":4" /> | |||
With the help of Xbox 360 repair and modding enthusiast Josh Davidson (Octal450 on the ConsoleMods Wiki), YouTube user "RIP Felix" performed various experiments to confirm his theory that the PS3's 90nm RSX was affected by Bumpgate. They tested the solder bumps under the 90nm RSX's die to confirm the use of high-lead solder bumps, and also performed a variety of tests on the underfill, comparing it to similar defective and non-defective GPUs from the same era- such as the Xbox 360's GPUs and Nvidia's GPUs. The tests included simply shining an ultraviolet light on the underfill to see the similarities in color and luminescence, poking the underfill of each of the GPUs with a soldering iron at various temperatures to compare the reactions, and even using a UV visual spectrophotometer to visualize the difference between compositions in various underfills. The results strongly support Felix's theory that the PS3's 90nm RSX's defects were due to Bumpgate; each test showed that the 90nm RSX was remarkably similar to known defective GPUs, but distinct from non-defective ones.<ref name=":14" /> | |||
A common bad practice between both the Xbox 360 and the PS3 was to reflow the entire motherboard. Even alleged professional repair technicians did this, as shown in BBC's Watchdog segment for the "Yellow Light of Death".<ref name=":1" /> However, because this fault was caused by a defect in the GPU, this would only fix the problem ''temporarily'', if at all. In addition, a motherboard is not designed to go through this process more than once (specifically, at the time of manufacture), so this would damage the motherboard over time until it would be impossible to fix the system again. | |||
The only way to permanently fix systems with a Bumpgate-affected GPU is to replace the defective GPU with one that doesn't have the defect. How possible that is, however, depends much on a person's skills, tools, and how easy or difficult it is for regular consumers to repair and modify the system. For example, the PS3 has a modification called "Frankenstein", which makes it possible to replace a defective 90nm RSX GPU with a non-defective 65nm or 40nm GPU from one of the newer PS3s. This modification was inspired by an "official" fix that Sony performed on some faulty PS3s. However, for a person to perform this repair, they would need a BGA rework station (and the skills to use it properly) and a softmodded PS3. A similar modification is also possible for early Xbox 360s, but it requires the same tools and modding experience as the PS3 does. Due to the specialized nature of such modifications, most people will still recommend for consumers to find someone skilled enough to do the modification for them, buy a system that is already modified, or to simply avoid purchasing consoles impacted by Bumpgate. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||