Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

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22-03-2010, 11:49 AM
HEXUS

Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

Quote:

ATI is promising up-to 20 per cent gains on single-GPU Radeon HD 5000-series cards. We find out if the claims are true.

Read more.
22-03-2010, 03:53 PM
MonkeyL

Re: Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

I'd rather they got to grips with the constant crashing and video buffer corruption issues:-

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/ATI...rash,9529.html

Which have been ongoing since the cards were launched last year.
22-03-2010, 04:36 PM
Phage

Re: Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonkeyL

I'd rather they got to grips with the constant crashing and video buffer corruption issues:-

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/ATI...rash,9529.html

Which have been ongoing since the cards were launched last year.

Yup - my card is a PoS. An RMA will lose me my PC for 20 days. The WHQL version is my last chance to keep the machine up.
22-03-2010, 05:24 PM
Percy1983

Re: Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

I feel lucky as my 5850 is running perfectly and is overclocked quite far.

Waiting for the offical release before moving to 10.3 myself.
22-03-2010, 06:00 PM
sadbuttrue

Re: Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

GSODs are caused by changes to the GDDR5 memory. Overclocking/underclocking disables powerplay and keeps the memory at a fixed speed/voltage. A constant rollout of driver updates claiming to fix the problem has everyone convinced it is software related. I doubt the problem will ever get fixed tbh, which is annoying as I need a new card.

I can replicate the GSODs seen on 5xxx series cards with my 4770, simply by changing the memory speed back and forth very quickly.
22-03-2010, 06:09 PM
Phage

Re: Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

Quote:

Originally Posted by sadbuttrue

I can replicate the GSODs seen on 5xxx series cards with my 4770, simply by changing the memory speed back and forth very quickly.

Interesting - Have you told ATi ?
Or any of the hardware sites would be very interested by anyone who can reproduce the fault and therefore explain it. If so, I can get my money back or test for a card that works !
22-03-2010, 06:19 PM
Percy1983

Re: Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

Sounds interesting, as it is with my 5850 it is overclocked but I have used MSI afterburner so I have maintained the powerplay advantages.

Monitoring it does show its only dropping/rising when it should.

But if that is the issue a driver update could fix it.

I may try replicating the problem myself, but not sure I want to risk anything going wrong.
22-03-2010, 06:45 PM
sadbuttrue

Re: Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

It was touched upon by hardocp last month link

Quote:

The GSOD issue was caused by a "memory training issue" related specifically to the GDDR5 memory bus on 5000 series cards. With the GSOD issue people have been seeing system lock ups with gray colored screens. AMD is aware of this and has been working to get the issue corrected. With the latest driver release, version 10.2, AMD was certain that the issue was fixed. That however did not seem to be correct as AMD users were still having "GSOD" issues as identified by this forum thread I started with questioning users about their 10.2 experiences and GSOD.
22-03-2010, 09:06 PM
Phage

Re: Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

Memory training ? WTH ?
22-03-2010, 09:07 PM
mikemikemi

Re: Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

I've not had any issues so far with my 5870 hopefully things will stay that way.

Nice gains from a driver update, think I'll wait for WHQL version though.
23-03-2010, 05:25 PM
Brewster0101

Re: Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

Good to see more performance squeezed out of the 4800 series. Until the 5800 series drops in price I have to stick to my 4870.
23-03-2010, 08:38 PM
caveman-jim

Re: Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phage

Memory training ? WTH ?

Memory training is the process where the memory data/address/command clocks are de-skewed to get a nice stable, fast link speed. This happens when memory clock and voltages are adjusted, as when PowerPlay is enforced. Going from 300MHz at low voltage to 600, 800 or 1200Mhz (IIRC, for a HD 5870) gives different clock speeds and a couple of different voltages, too. The HD 4870 had problems with training and didn't have as aggressive PowerPlay and power savings as the HD 5000 series because of it.
25-03-2010, 09:48 PM
=assassin=

Re: Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

The continuing GSOD issue is the only thing holding me back from a definate 58xx purchase; at the moment I'm just not sure where to go... :/
25-03-2010, 09:59 PM
Terbinator

Re: Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

Quote:

Originally Posted by =assassin=

The continuing GSOD issue is the only thing holding me back from a definate 58xx purchase; at the moment I'm just not sure where to go... :/

What are you currently using at the minute ?
28-03-2010, 01:47 AM
=assassin=

Re: Reviews - ATI Catalyst 10.3a performance explored - 20 per cent gains

I'm intending to get a complete new system, I've got a few old games I can replay for now, the current card is an ancient 7900GS and I've only got an old A64 single core. I can wait a bit longer to see what gets fixed, or what else is released. Not later than mid-summer though, that's my limit of patience i.e waiting to get a new PC :P