IT LOOKS LIKE Fermi A2 silicon has finally taped out, so the timetables are a little firmer once again. There is no chance of a real launch in 2009, making the chip a shining example of Nvidia's engineering mire. The latest word was that the chip was set for a WW42 tapeout, or was imminent that week. Let's give Nvidia the benefit of the doubt that it did tape out, something anecdotally confirmed by Fudo saying that the chip will be out in early December. If by 'out' he means A2 silicon samples, then it will in fact be out in December. If you use a definition of 'out' grounded in the reality that humans occupy, then no chance.

During not-Nvision/GDC, Nvidia was telling people who mattered and AIBs not to expect Fermi until March. Internally it was saying May, but the AIBs were not told that. About the A2 tapeout time, Nvidia's AIB messaging was changed to April or May. It would be safe to read into this that the A2 stepping is not going to cut it, and an A3 spin is on the cards. Eight weeks added to early February gets you into March, so that lines up nicely with what Nvidia is telling people.

http://www.semiaccurate.com/2009/11/...-a2-taped-out/