The AMD Radeon RX 480 Preview: Polaris Makes Its Mainstream Mark
by Ryan Smith on June 29, 2016 9:00 AM ESTGaming Performance
So with the basics of the architecture and core configuration behind us, let’s dive into some numbers.
Overall, AMD is pitching the RX 480 as a card suitable for 1440p gaming as well as 1080p gaming and VR gaming. In the case of 1080p the card is clearly powerful enough, as even Crysis 3 at its highest quality setting is flirting with 60fps. However when it comes to 1440p, the RX 480 feels like it’s coming up a bit short; other than DiRT Rally, performance is a bit low for the 60fps PC gamer. Traditionally cards in the $199-$249 mainstream range have been 1080p gaming cards, and in the long run I think this is where RX 480 will settle at as well.
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PeckingOrder - Wednesday, June 29, 2016 - link
What a massive F-up by AMD.evolucion8 - Wednesday, June 29, 2016 - link
Sure, cause AMD midrange GPUs are meant to replace previous high end of GPUs lolddriver - Wednesday, June 29, 2016 - link
In the chart, the AMD Radeon RX 480 (4GB) is listed as having 8 gigs of vram.ddriver - Wednesday, June 29, 2016 - link
I mean the "AMD Radeon GPU Specification Comparison" chart.SunnyNW - Wednesday, June 29, 2016 - link
Ryan Shrout of PCper said Every RX480 actually has 8GB of memory on the board..Like WTF...He further added that they sent bios to switch the cars between 4GB and 8GB. I understand the artificial prodcuct segmentation that often happens in tech but with the large number AMD hopes to sell that is A LOT of wasted memory! WOW what a waste they should have just had 8GB reference only and priced it 10 to 15 bucks less...Drumsticks - Wednesday, June 29, 2016 - link
This is only for the press. The retail 4GB cards have 4GB of VRAM, per the AMA on reddit.akamateau - Wednesday, June 29, 2016 - link
4 and 8gb are currently being released.Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/XFX-Radeon-Graphics-Cards-R...
Newegg here:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...
akamateau - Wednesday, June 29, 2016 - link
2 RX 480 CRUSHES GTX 1080 for $200 less!!!basroil - Wednesday, June 29, 2016 - link
"2 RX 480 CRUSHES GTX 1080 for $200 less!!!"That's if any motherboards even support that configuration! Tests have shown that the card:
1) Draws closer to 165W, much higher than it's actual supported maximum power draw of 150W
2) ~80W of that is from the PCIe slot itself. Motherboards are only required to allow 75W for ALL PCIe slots. Either way it will overload the traces on cheaper boards.
Put those together and you have a nightmare fuel of either frying the mobo with >150W draw when even 2x1080 wouldn't hit 75W, or frying your PSU as the cards reroute power to the PCIe power cable and overload the 75W capable 6pins with double their rated amperage.
binarydissonance - Wednesday, June 29, 2016 - link
Or both the mobo and the PSU are supplying the same voltage and the power input is combined into a single bus... y'know... preventing the unlikely scenario you describe from ever possibly happening.