Page 1 of 5 1234 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 16 of 76

Thread: '7890' Review

  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    2,401
    Thanks
    87
    Thanked
    151 times in 145 posts
    • Willzzz's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte
      • CPU:
      • 4670K
      • PSU:
      • FD Newton R3 600W
      • Case:
      • Corsair 350D

    '7890' Review

    http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/C...ard_Tahiti_LE/

    It seems kinda odd, it's called a 7870 still which is confusing, especially as you can't crossfire it with a Pitcairn 7870.

    It is frequently faster than a 7950 (in BF3 for example), and only slightly below on average.
    Power consumption however is really high, higher than the 7950 and not far off the 7970. Performance per watt is really quite poor, more like cards from the previous generation.

    It's a cut down 7950 that has a whole load of extra voltage run through it to make it perform.
    On the plus side this makes any voltage locking almost irrelevant because the default is so high.
    Last edited by Willzzz; 11-12-2012 at 04:00 PM.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Posts
    354
    Thanks
    27
    Thanked
    43 times in 43 posts
    • technodean's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Z77 LX ASUS
      • CPU:
      • i7 3770k @ 4.4 Noctua 14s
      • Memory:
      • 32 GB 1866mhz vengeance pro
      • Storage:
      • Samsung 850 250gb x 2, 3tb 7200rpm, synology dj216
      • Graphics card(s):
      • sapphire rx580 8gb
      • PSU:
      • rm650
      • Case:
      • nzxt 440 6x corsair fams
      • Operating System:
      • 10 pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • 32" bx320hk
      • Internet:
      • TalkTalk

    Re: '7890' Review

    This review is for the 7870, not 7890 as your title suggests.

  3. #3
    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    30,749
    Thanks
    1,788
    Thanked
    3,288 times in 2,647 posts
    • kalniel's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Ultra
      • CPU:
      • Intel i9 9900k
      • Memory:
      • 32GB DDR4 3200 CL16
      • Storage:
      • 1TB Samsung 970Evo+ NVMe
      • Graphics card(s):
      • nVidia GTX 1060 6GB
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic 600W
      • Case:
      • Cooler Master HAF 912
      • Operating System:
      • Win 10 Pro x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2721DGF
      • Internet:
      • rubbish

    Re: '7890' Review

    Quote Originally Posted by technodean View Post
    This review is for the 7870, not 7890 as your title suggests.
    Now read his post, and for good measure the article he linked to













    tl;dr - there was a rumour of a 7890 made up of a cut down taihiti core. Turns out that that's what this is, only someone is calling it a 7870. It's not a 7870 (pitcairn core), but that's what they're calling it. It's a cut down taihiti core, just like the rumoured 7890. Hence this is a review of the rumoured '7890'.

  4. Received thanks from:

    Terbinator (12-12-2012),Willzzz (11-12-2012)

  5. #4
    ALT0153™ Rob_B's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    6,087
    Thanks
    345
    Thanked
    700 times in 484 posts

    Re: '7890' Review

    Now that was a thorough review!

    I wonder what it'd be liked down-clocked to 7950 levels? See how much of a difference the extra 1GB/128bit and 256 shaders actually makes. Higher power consumption than the 7950 as you say but it is 'overclocked' technically. I wonder what a 7950 at those speeds would consume?

    Interesting product, without an official price for USD/GBP it's tricky to place but glad to see someone taking on the challenge!

  6. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    2,401
    Thanks
    87
    Thanked
    151 times in 145 posts
    • Willzzz's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte
      • CPU:
      • 4670K
      • PSU:
      • FD Newton R3 600W
      • Case:
      • Corsair 350D

    Re: '7890' Review

    Quote Originally Posted by Rob_B View Post
    Now that was a thorough review!

    I wonder what it'd be liked down-clocked to 7950 levels? See how much of a difference the extra 1GB/128bit and 256 shaders actually makes. Higher power consumption than the 7950 as you say but it is 'overclocked' technically. I wonder what a 7950 at those speeds would consume?

    Interesting product, without an official price for USD/GBP it's tricky to place but glad to see someone taking on the challenge!
    The thing is when you overclock a 7950 as a single card, you can do so efficiently, you work with the limits of that particular card.

    What happens with these '7890's is that because they have to get every card to the same level regardless of the quality of each individual GPU they have to bump up the voltage to account for the worst possible scenario, and they have to do this to all cards.

    What would be interesting is if you could undervolt these cards, I don't know if that is possible or not.

  7. #6
    Senior Member watercooled's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    11,459
    Thanks
    1,539
    Thanked
    1,024 times in 868 posts

    Re: '7890' Review

    I wonder if those are fixed specs considering AMD don't have a reference design, or if we'll see different variations e.g. higher memory bus width + lower memory clock to align it more with existing Tahiti? Or is the narrower bus partly why it's placed in 7800 series? Also, 975MHz does seem a bit high for a reference clock, seems like it might cannibalise some of the presumably more expensive 7950 sales. Other than that, the specs on paper do seem to fit right between the two...

  8. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    2,401
    Thanks
    87
    Thanked
    151 times in 145 posts
    • Willzzz's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte
      • CPU:
      • 4670K
      • PSU:
      • FD Newton R3 600W
      • Case:
      • Corsair 350D

    Re: '7890' Review

    I really can't imagine that the AMD partners have the option to change the bus width..

  9. #8
    Senior Member watercooled's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    11,459
    Thanks
    1,539
    Thanked
    1,024 times in 868 posts

    Re: '7890' Review

    Depends how this works exactly, if this GPU is a specific part (which after more reading does seem to be the case i.e. Tahiti LE), but if MFRs are somehow just using salvaged Tahiti GPUs then I could see different versions shipping. Look at how certain cards can be 'unlocked' with BIOS mods, MFRs could potentially do that if AMD allowed it, but further what I said before, if they're free to play with clocks too then it could eat into their existing lines.

    The power consumption of the card also suggests AMD might not have specific clocks for the GPU, considering efficiency of other cards. I guess we'll have to see what other MFRs release as it's only one sample.

  10. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    2,401
    Thanks
    87
    Thanked
    151 times in 145 posts
    • Willzzz's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte
      • CPU:
      • 4670K
      • PSU:
      • FD Newton R3 600W
      • Case:
      • Corsair 350D

    Re: '7890' Review

    I don't think 'unlocking' has ever been officially sanctioned by AMD.

    It would make no sense for AMD to allow it, firstly they would essentially be giving away money by doing so, that would really eat into their 7950 sales.
    Secondly, it would further muddy the waters surrounding AMD graphics, although AMD have not really made things very clear in the first place.

  11. #10
    Moosing about! CAT-THE-FIFTH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Not here
    Posts
    31,621
    Thanks
    3,757
    Thanked
    5,060 times in 3,912 posts
    • CAT-THE-FIFTH's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Less E-PEEN
      • CPU:
      • Massive E-PEEN
      • Memory:
      • RGB E-PEEN
      • Storage:
      • Not in any order
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVEN BIGGER E-PEEN
      • PSU:
      • OVERSIZED
      • Case:
      • UNDERSIZED
      • Operating System:
      • DOS 6.22
      • Monitor(s):
      • NOT USUALLY ON....WHEN I POST
      • Internet:
      • FUNCTIONAL

    Re: '7890' Review

    The rumours also said the HD7870 "special edition" was meant to a short term SKU,and many companies did not go for it as it would eat into HD7870 and HD7950 sales.

    Unlocking was not officially blocked by AMD for the early HD6950 examples,and I have a feeling it was tacitly allowed in that case for marketing purposes,due to the presence of the 1GHZ clockspeed GTX560TI cards(which were a fail in the end).

    This card reminds me of the HD5830,although with better relative performance. However,the voltage does seem quite high considering that they hit 1200MHZ on stock voltages.

    Edit!!

    Have seen it advertised here for around £190:

    http://www.lambda-tek.com/computing/gbpcdesigner.htm

    The retailer is a drop shipper AFAIK.
    Last edited by CAT-THE-FIFTH; 12-12-2012 at 10:16 AM.

  12. #11
    Moosing about! CAT-THE-FIFTH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Not here
    Posts
    31,621
    Thanks
    3,757
    Thanked
    5,060 times in 3,912 posts
    • CAT-THE-FIFTH's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Less E-PEEN
      • CPU:
      • Massive E-PEEN
      • Memory:
      • RGB E-PEEN
      • Storage:
      • Not in any order
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVEN BIGGER E-PEEN
      • PSU:
      • OVERSIZED
      • Case:
      • UNDERSIZED
      • Operating System:
      • DOS 6.22
      • Monitor(s):
      • NOT USUALLY ON....WHEN I POST
      • Internet:
      • FUNCTIONAL

    Re: '7890' Review


  13. #12
    Senior Member watercooled's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    11,459
    Thanks
    1,539
    Thanked
    1,024 times in 868 posts

    Re: '7890' Review

    Muddy the waters in regard to what? GPU naming is never logical, from either brand.

    @CAT: I was also thinking 7930 but again I think the narrower bus dictates the 7800 naming, even if it's not fully logical because of the Tahiti die. Also, did the likes of the 5830 sell very well? In marketing terms, 7890 probably sounds better.

  14. #13
    Not a good person scaryjim's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Gateshead
    Posts
    15,196
    Thanks
    1,231
    Thanked
    2,291 times in 1,874 posts
    • scaryjim's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Dell Inspiron
      • CPU:
      • Core i5 8250U
      • Memory:
      • 2x 4GB DDR4 2666
      • Storage:
      • 128GB M.2 SSD + 1TB HDD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Radeon R5 230
      • PSU:
      • Battery/Dell brick
      • Case:
      • Dell Inspiron 5570
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • 15" 1080p laptop panel

    Re: '7890' Review

    None of AMDs hacked about cards ever sold well, whether they were named after the range above (5830) or range below (6790). It just seems to be a way to try to squeeze money out of bad silicon, and perhaps generate some extra buzz in between new series launches: they keep doing this (anyone remember the 4730? ) and the cards are never particularly good in terms of performance or value...

  15. #14
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    2,401
    Thanks
    87
    Thanked
    151 times in 145 posts
    • Willzzz's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte
      • CPU:
      • 4670K
      • PSU:
      • FD Newton R3 600W
      • Case:
      • Corsair 350D

    Re: '7890' Review

    Well this is already the third card called the 7870, do we really want sub-variants of this new 7870?

  16. #15
    Senior Member watercooled's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    11,459
    Thanks
    1,539
    Thanked
    1,024 times in 868 posts

    Re: '7890' Review

    Remember how many times G92 was rebranded, how many cards were called 9800, or the 9600 GT vs GSO vs GSO 512 etc?
    It's confusing, but nothing new...

  17. #16
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    2,401
    Thanks
    87
    Thanked
    151 times in 145 posts
    • Willzzz's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte
      • CPU:
      • 4670K
      • PSU:
      • FD Newton R3 600W
      • Case:
      • Corsair 350D

    Re: '7890' Review

    Because somebody else did something isn't an excuse for doing it yourself.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •