EEVblog #1341 - AMAZING $250,000 IBM Processor TEARDOWN!
Why Hacker News recommends it
Cited in threads on chip packaging and cooling as a vivid look at vintage IBM mainframe module construction.
What it is
Dave Jones of EEVblog tears down a 1991 IBM 9121 thermal conduction module from a System/390 mainframe, a 63-layer ceramic hybrid module with 2772 pins worth about $250,000, and demonstrates a BGA desoldering technique.
Recommended by 1 HN commenters across 1 different months, 2021 to 2022.
What Hacker News said
Recommends nom · 2021-01 · on “IBM paperweight teardown: Reverse-engineering 1970s memory chips”
All the vintage mainframe stuff is pretty mind blowing. There is an awesome hidden gem on YouTube: CPU Galaxy. He has a huge collection of vintage CPUs. IBM 9121 Mainframe CPU [LINK] Dave from EEVBlog also made a video about it [this video]
Cites formerly_proven · 2021-08 · on “An inside look at the custom CPUs in Tesla's Dojo Supercomputer”
The thermal solution and packaging looks a lot like mainframe systems from the 80s (IBM, Siemens, Japanese). Siemens H100: [LINK] [LINK] IBM: [this video]
Cites ilyt · 2022-12 · on “One Startup’s Cooling Chip May Surge Processor Power”
This one does[1]. It have a bunch of pistons on springs touching each chiplet, all in mineral oil. Price bit out of range for typical desktop user tho * [this video]