# Episode 121: Stop Talking about SAM Please

- Show: [The Circuit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit)
- Published: 2025-06-09
- Length: 30m
- Episode: 122
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2025-06-09-episode-121-stop-talking-about-sam-please
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/1cdc299c

## Summary

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg analyze Broadcom's recent earnings, highlighting a 60% year-over-year growth in its semiconductor segment driven by AI demand, while noting the stock's muted reaction due to high expectations. They discuss the complexities of custom ASIC development, emphasizing the 2-2.5 year timeline from tape-out to revenue and the risk that projects may be discontinued if they fail to outperform Nvidia GPUs on price-to-performance. The hosts also cover the launch of Broadcom's Tomahawk 6 networking chip, which supports ultra Ethernet and competes with Nvidia's InfiniBand, and explore the growing importance of enterprise storage solutions like NetApp for on-premises AI inference.

## Chapters

- [0:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2025-06-09-episode-121-stop-talking-about-sam-please#t=5) Introduction: The Circuit hosts and Broadcom earnings overview
- [1:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2025-06-09-episode-121-stop-talking-about-sam-please#t=101) Broadcom's Semiconductor Growth and AI ASIC Timeline
- [4:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2025-06-09-episode-121-stop-talking-about-sam-please#t=270) ASIC Development Risks and Performance Requirements
- [9:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2025-06-09-episode-121-stop-talking-about-sam-please#t=598) Broadcom's AI ASIC Revenue Projections and Customer Confidence
- [12:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2025-06-09-episode-121-stop-talking-about-sam-please#t=743) Architectural Similarities Between AI Accelerators and GPUs
- [14:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2025-06-09-episode-121-stop-talking-about-sam-please#t=892) Tomahawk 6 Networking Chip and Ultra Ethernet Competition
- [19:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2025-06-09-episode-121-stop-talking-about-sam-please#t=1142) The Standards War: Ethernet vs. InfiniBand in Data Centers
- [23:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2025-06-09-episode-121-stop-talking-about-sam-please#t=1439) Storage Bottlenecks and the Rise of NetApp in AI Inference

## Topics

- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Wireless & RF](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/wireless-and-rf)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Broadcom (company)
- Avago (company)
- Tomahawk 6 (chip)
- Nvidia (company)
- NetApp (company)
- InfiniBand (other)
- Ultra Ethernet (other)
- Google (company)
- AMD (company)
- Dell (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Bonkers Birthday Badinage](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-06-18-bonkers-birthday-badinage) (The Amp Hour)
- [Silicon 100: Startups Worth Watching in 2023](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2023-08-01-silicon-100-startups-worth-watching-in-2023) (EE Times Current)
- [Can the Nvidia Monopoly on AI Chips Be Broken?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2026-03-16-can-the-nvidia-monopoly-on-ai-chips-be-broken) (EE Times Current)
- [A++++++ Will Buy Again](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-03-19-a-will-buy-again) (The Amp Hour)
- [Re-scoping the problem](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-06-13-re-scoping-the-problem) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

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