6 ms·

I’m not sure I’d want a card that’s been at full utilization, 24 hours a day, for who knows how long.

by pram 9y ago

visarga 9y ago
I recently learned a really fascinating stuff about semiconductors: as they heat up, the doping atoms tend to move, by diffusion. Heat = more diffusion.
- owenversteeg 9y ago
  Yep: atoms in general move more with more heat. In solids, the energy required for movement is higher, but it still happens. The more heat available, the more energy you have to break bonds, the more diffusion (movement) you have. I have a feeling that's not the main reason for heat failure of semiconductors though. (Not to put your comment down, it's an interesting fact and I'm glad you mentioned it.)
  - whatshisface 9y ago
    The weak link on a lot of hardware is the capacitors - I'm not sure about GPU cards, but if that's the case then you sure won't be replacing that surface mount stuff when it fails.
    - cglace 9y ago
      Why? All you need is a heat gun and some spare parts.
- wmf 9y ago
  Another fun fact: Chips are designed to last years at full power and max temperature.
  - _coldfire 9y ago
    It's actually the temperature cycling that's far worse for them. Plenty of available reading on cryptocurrency mining forums.
jagger27 9y ago
I've read that thermal cycles do more damage than constant running.
- laythea 9y ago
  Yep, this applies to most things. E.g Engines.
userbinator 9y ago
On the other hand, you can be sure these cards have made it well past the "infant mortality" part of the bathtub curve. In fact, military and other high-reliability applications specify "burn-in" periods where components are operated at elevated temperatures for several hundred hours --- they are effectively "used": http://reliabilityanalytics.com/reliability_engineering_library/MIL-STD-883H_Test_Method_Standard_Microcircuits_26_Feb_2010/MIL-STD-883H_Test_Method_Standard_Microcircuits_26_Feb_2010_pp_104.pdf http://reliabilityanalytics.com/reliability_engineering_libr...
alkonaut 9y ago
If I can buy a 1080 for $100 when they flood ebay, I'm willing to take my chances.

I’m not sure I’d want a card that’s been at full utilization, 24 hours a day, for who knows how long.

by pram 9y ago

I’m not sure I’d want a card that’s been at full utilization, 24 hours a day, for who knows how long.

I recently learned a really fascinating stuff about semiconductors: as they heat up, the doping atoms tend to move, by diffusion. Heat = more diffusion.

owenversteeg 9y ago
Yep: atoms in general move more with more heat. In solids, the energy required for movement is higher, but it still happens. The more heat available, the more energy you have to break bonds, the more diffusion (movement) you have. I have a feeling that's not the main reason for heat failure of semiconductors though. (Not to put your comment down, it's an interesting fact and I'm glad you mentioned it.)
- whatshisface 9y ago
  The weak link on a lot of hardware is the capacitors - I'm not sure about GPU cards, but if that's the case then you sure won't be replacing that surface mount stuff when it fails.
  - cglace 9y ago
    Why? All you need is a heat gun and some spare parts.
wmf 9y ago
Another fun fact: Chips are designed to last years at full power and max temperature.
- _coldfire 9y ago
  It's actually the temperature cycling that's far worse for them. Plenty of available reading on cryptocurrency mining forums.

jagger27 9y ago

I've read that thermal cycles do more damage than constant running.

laythea 9y ago
Yep, this applies to most things. E.g Engines.

userbinator 9y ago

On the other hand, you can be sure these cards have made it well past the "infant mortality" part of the bathtub curve. In fact, military and other high-reliability applications specify "burn-in" periods where components are operated at elevated temperatures for several hundred hours --- they are effectively "used": http://reliabilityanalytics.com/reliability_engineering_library/MIL-STD-883H_Test_Method_Standard_Microcircuits_26_Feb_2010/MIL-STD-883H_Test_Method_Standard_Microcircuits_26_Feb_2010_pp_104.pdf http://reliabilityanalytics.com/reliability_engineering_libr...

alkonaut 9y ago

If I can buy a 1080 for $100 when they flood ebay, I'm willing to take my chances.