AMD: Speculation, Rumors, and Discussion (Archive)

Also I don't see any info on hardware/software setup for testing both RX 480 and other cards (ie, drivers, cpu, OS, etc...).

 

someone mixed GPU power (110W) and board power (150W)

 

It is rather academic IMO as GPU power/Memory power/board interfaces-link power all take power from the same place, in other words the PCIe power connectors of the slot and auxiliary PEG.
But the debate should had been more focused on draw/power distribution and traits including power targets (includes discussion about performance with undervoltage to default power target and whether this should be lower or higher and the further impact doing so has), rather than the "110W".
Cheers

 

They give them on the first page, but all in all this is one of the odd reviews out there. Not only does it give very favorable test results, but on the last page the power they measured for the card is only 116W (in AotS).

 

I smell black magics!

Also, yes please!!!!:



Edit: look at the (few) compute benchs numbers, looks pretty well:

https://techaltar.com/amd-rx-480-gpu-review/2/

 

About this adaptive age compensation: does it mean that the GPU gets slower over time?

 

http://radeon.com/calling-on-radeon-software-beta-testers/

 

I'm guessing transistors need more voltage as they degrade and less voltage when they are new. Without adaptive compensation you have to take that into account. So you save couple of % in power when GPU is new.

 

As for all this controversy around PCI specs. Why don't all this sites simply test their theory and grab a cheap ass mobo and try to blow it. Because this is what everyone is afraid right? So either test and prove your theory or stfu.

 

Not sure if I should just post a silly meme or take that serious.

 

The meme plz

 

If for some strange reason their card indeed consumes only this much (and this is such a huge if, it's very hard to believe) that would go quite some way to explain the better than average results, as the GPU would always stay at the highest clock speed of 1266MHz. Other sites have tested the performance with maximized power target (so it has the same effect on clock speed) to be almost 10% higher. But this comes at the price of an average power consumption of 180+W or so. There is a pretty high chance they screwed up something. That they somehow got a golden sample appears quite unlikely.

 

65W less power is beyond a golden sample, its more like the saint grail.

 

Just to add.
The context though is the specification of the 24-pin ATX socket in terms of power (2x12V pins) supporting all slots and other power, the riser socket, and the 6 (2x12V pins) or 8 (3x12V pins) Molex connectors, PSU rails for the 24pin connection and also PEGs, wire gauge (can be specc'd 16-24 AWG).

The 24-pin with regards to the ATX12V guide can be specc'd depending how implemented roughly from 8 to 13 amps for each of the 2x12V pin, and peaks roughly of 9 or 16 amps respectively although this is burst with around a 10-20ms duration limit I think.
The Molex PEG pins also support 8A minimum and up to 13A per pin depending again upon spec implementation.
The riser slot I have no idea but this is not guaranteed to be much more than 7-8A, and some extension risers are even less.
Cable is commonly 18AWG for the auxiliary PEGs, which is good enough to run 8.5A per pin (contact), the higher specification of 13A will require 16AWG.
For the 24-pin ATX12V, best to check the motherboard and cable to see if it is 16AWG and whether the motherboard defines connector as standard/HCS/Plus-HCS - unfortunately can be difficult information to get.

So the 480 does have some considerations if going 2x480 or overclocking as it is pushing hard against the limits or beyond, along with consideration of how low-budget PSU and motherboards can handle the sort of characteristics picked up Tom's Hardware - caveat being further investigations are required to prove this beyond theirs and some other reviewers' tests to date.

But this is all from the context of power demand and distribution that has arisen from some reviews.
Cheers

Edit:
Regarding the ATX 24-pin there is also a definition for 450W-ATX12V, supporting 16A max with peak (I think 10-20ms burst) of 19A per connector.
Thought I better mention it, even though its context is far away when one considers the mainstream consumer 480 GPU.

 

I'd take it seriously. Imagine the clicks you would get if you could prove that RX480 is capable of blowing up a mobo in anything close to normal usage scenario.

Of course if you know that would never happen it's much more productive to fear monger.

 

Very useful info and actually quite interesting. So a low tier MoBo could get less than 200W from its 24ATX pin. We need to see how much the cards consume through the pci slot then in CF and when in CF+OC because if it doesn't changes they would be asking for almost 200W and could blow up the 24 pin...

Yet again all of this discussion and all the shit AMD is getting in reddit and other sites could be avoided with a 8pin...

 

Then again, Computerbase cut their consumption by 33W and increased performance by ~5'ish % by undervolting their sample

 

From the PCIe x16 slot perspective, a big consideration is whether the manufacturer implemented the High Current Series specification regarding the 24-pin connector and the 2x12V contacts.
This really is only a consideration if what Tom's Hardware identified is universal, and critically one is looking to go mGPU with the 480 or overclocking - just reiterating because this is a sensitive subject until fully clarified and validated.

Regarding the 8-pin PEG, well on its own it is not enough as AMD will need to work on the power distribution of the 480.
As an example the 1080FE pulls a peak burst of 60W and average 40W through the mainboard connector, with most of the "pressure" put onto the PEG connector.
Cheers

It would be interesting to know how many reviewers used a budget motherboard and PSU when testing the 480, along with OCing.

 

Delete

 

I can say one thing for sure, 7 years ago or so maybe a bit longer, I had a 7800 GT, with an EVGA SLI montherboard pretty much their top of the line motherboard which at that time cost me around 200 bucks, the 7800gt didn't draw more than its supposed to over the pci-e bus, but the capacitors that feed into that lane blew.

Same thing happened to my brother's computer. (both comps were the same). So yeah things like this can happen even when using high end components. Interestingly enough they blew a couple months apart and we did get the systems at the same time. So it wasn't that it was drawing more power, that specific capacitor didn't hold up well for over a period of time.

Now if OEM's use an out of spec piece in their system builds, and things go wrong, on a midrange system, how many systems will that be and how much would it cost them in the long run? Its that simple its about reducing the risk of failure during the warranty period, that is what the specs are all about.