Retail Diamon Viper Radeon SI 1GB GDDR4 2900XT

[rob[GL]]

Very disappointing!

First of all, let me point out, when I purchased this card (for $615CAD) just a few hours ago I was very excited...

I got home, installed it and the correlating drivers, and checked the ATI CCC.

The card is advertised to run 825MHz core and 1100MHz (2200MHz DDR) Memory frequencies. Well, my card is still running 743MHz core and 1000MHz (2000MHz DDR) memories, and I was a little confused.

I call Diamond tech support, and they tell me that 825MHz Core and 1100MHz Memory were NEVER the clock speeds, and all websites advertising 825MHz + 1100MHz are false advertising...

Using Enermax Galaxy DXX-1000Watt power supply, I used CCC to overclock the video card as high as it will go, combined with Xeon3060@ 3600MHz and Crucial Ballistix Tracer memories on 975X board...

3DMark2005 score of only 20,900 points.

That's less than my 512MB HD2900XT!


I could go further into testing... But am too angry about misleading advertising. I will return the card and get something else.

[cadaveca]

lol. that was quick.

[rob[GL]]

I should have listen to you yesterday.

[revogamer]

dont use ccc to overclock, and i got a 512mb and i get 21110 in 05, amd thats with a high freq cpu, (somethings wrong with my setup, getting new) if you get more cpu freq itll be up alot more.

[Ad1tya]

Use AMD GPU Tool. Not CCC.

Also, Your avatar says everything? :P:

[krullet]

i think u should do as u said, test it further

u dont have to return it for 30days, right?

so test it some more, think u should give it a little more than a few hours of testing,
i personally think it takes more than a few hours to test out hardware to the max...so dont give up yet..


GL

[revogamer]

with my 21110 i had a cpu @ 3.8Ghz its a E6400, and with 3.6Ghz i only got 20k, so with mroe testing you could get alot further.

[cadaveca]

um, yeah...200mhz cpu for 1000 points '05? That's pretty weak...


Dude's got 3.6ghz...and you tell him he needs more? When 512mb card does better?


Tell me something...you think ATI is developing driver for a card they did not release?

Do you expect default driver to actually make use of that extra ram? 'Cause I'll tell ya right now, it doesn't with current drivers...

[revogamer]

i said i only get 19-20k with 3.6Ghz, so i think he should keep testing, i had been testing for a couple of weeks just to get 21110, so hes got a good chance to get 22k+ with LOD settings etc, oh and have you set all your settings in CCC to performance and turned AA and etc off? that increases the scores alot.

[cadaveca]

Scores? improve scores by LOD? That's not improving performance...

You must have missed his thread way back when the 512mb cards came out...he was one of the first with a retail card here.

You've got a double issue here...the 1gb card is slower than 512mb card @ stock. Is this because the driver does not take advantage of teh newer memory?


Probably.


Is ATI likely to update the driver to fix that?


Not likely.


That's why you see the AIB's with the cards that you do...notice it's not any Tier One OEM's...the ones that actually have the cash and resources to develop thier own driver...I bet that they are all relying on Sapphire for that...:lol2: so sad...Sapphire's making nV cards now too, under another brand, and have thier own fish to fry first...

Second issue is that the card is advertized @ a faster speed than what it really is. That's bogus...and illegal. I'm sure he'll have no issue taking the card back.

[ChaosMinionX]

The only retail card running 825/2150 on the core are the ones from Extreme PC that go for about 600$ USD

http://www.extreme-pc.ca/showproduct.asp?menu1id=12&menu2id=99&menu3id=39&productid=371414#reviews

http://www.extreme-pc.ca/uploads/XPC-HD2900XT-1GB-DDR4.1.jpg

This one actually runs the speeds you saw advertised.

[Kinc]

Once overclocked the 512 will be faster (due to faster timings) as bandwidth aint 2900's problem.

[eva2000]

Once overclocked the 512 will be faster (due to faster timings) as bandwidth aint 2900's problem.
Thanks for that tidbit of info :)

rob[GL], maybe take it back get refund and get the extreme pc one mentioned http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showpost.php?p=2305168&postcount=11 ?

[rob[GL]]

I think I will purchase another 512MB... Already have 1 sapphire and 2x HIS. I prefer the Sapphire, so I may just get another one of those. Seems better results with 512MB GDDR3 than 1GB GDDR4. I do not mind paying more when I get more in return... But when 512MB card is faster, and cheaper, that makes most sense!

Did take the 1GB card back for refund today!
Got my new board and cpu and memories today! Been playing for hours...
time to swap out X1950XTX 512 for HD2900XT 512!!

[ChaosMinionX]

Can anyone shed some light on the thing that Catalyst drivers dont fully support /make the 1GB of ram work like its supposed to? I put in an email to one of the guys from the Catalyst crew to see what was up with that. :shrug:

[Kasparz]

Use ati Tools for overclocking, CCC or MAD tool will make timings z0mg slow. Ati Tool lock timing automatic control.

[jimmyz]

Use ati Tools for overclocking, CCC or MAD tool will make timings z0mg slow. Ati Tool lock timing automatic control.

i second that. ati tool makes big difference in benches compared to amd tool. i don't have 8 pin so i don't use ccc but i trust others when they say it loosens up the ram.

[Lane-k]

Same view here.... CCC make you something wrong..

mmm.... The result you got look not really like what i have see with some peoples.. have you try 3D06? just for see... the 3D05 is sooo CPU dependant...

And really i have see other result where the 2900 1Go do better score of the 512 at stock... not with an impressive gain.. but not under..

But this begin make me thing wait for the DDR4 BC06 on the 2900....
i can assume the driver is not mature at all and this can complicate a lot the result.. What driver have you use?

[cadaveca]

Can anyone shed some light on the thing that Catalyst drivers dont fully support /make the 1GB of ram work like its supposed to? I put in an email to one of the guys from the Catalyst crew to see what was up with that. :shrug:

Catalyst driver allows for memory timing tweaking, as well as addressing, etc. I've been wary of this with cards outfitted with higher amts of ram since 9800pro 256days...128mb cards performed jsut the same...until they enabled the extra framebuffer.


ASUS Ageia Phys-Xcards are the same way...256mb of ram onboard, only 128mb "enabled".

I don't know that this is for sure the case...but using DirectX SDK would tell you...

[macci]

You don't run 3DMark05 at default resolution to measure the difference between 512MB vs 1GB of video memory.

You should run something totally different (something where your 512MB of video mem is running low)..

[cadaveca]

You don't run 3DMark05 at default resolution to measure the difference between 512MB vs 1GB of video memory.

You should run something totally different (something where your 512MB of video mem is running low)..

HI Macci. I TOTALLY agree. But here's the issue:


Let's take high framebuffer app. Say 1680x1050 for res, 4xAA...HDR...motion blur...

Lets, for our app, use DiRT.

Set all in-game settings to highest possible.

Start a race.


What happens?


512mb card...app closes, gives message "OUT OF VIDEO MEMORY. PLEASE LOWER APPLICATION SETTINGS".


1024MB card...


Same thing.:stick:


:shrug: So, tell me I'm wrong, but, unfortunately, I'm not.

Just like when the 512mb cards were available, I bought one the first possible moment i could. Guess what...I returned it.:fact:


I under stand that driver is the problem...fine...but...ATI support told me that they do not support this card. I can only assume this goes for the driver as well.


And don't start tossing up benchmarks showing the app running...they aren't using the retail patched version.

[ChaosMinionX]

Hmm, I will let you know how mine turns out cadaveca...I got an email in with one of the guys from the Catalyst team see what he has to say.

[G H Z]

Don't bother with CF, you cannot overclock a 2900 Crossfire setup with any OC tool currently available.

[cadaveca]

..In Windows XP...


Vista it works.:fact:

[G H Z]

Show me, I havn't seen that yet ;)

Suffice it to say right now, you don't have alot of guys climbing over themselves setting up a bench rig running Vista - aside from PCMark.

[cadaveca]

I know, I posted linkso to the three benches, stock, one card, and then second card, in Kinc's 2900 thread a while ago.

i verifired that it also doesn't work in XP...but i bought my cards for DX10...

Suffice it to say right now, you don't have alot of guys climbing over themselves setting up a bench rig running Vista - aside from PCMark.

Funny, that...you'd think someone into benching would try every angle...

[[XC] gomeler]

I know this is off topic but couldn't you mod the BIOS for the individual cards and then run them in crossfire? Set the clocks to the highest that the weakest card will go and cross fingers?

[ChaosMinionX]

Card arrives like tuesday/wednesday maybe earlier, since canada post wont update since it left canada and entered the states I have no tracking on it :(

[cadaveca]

gomeler;2307695']I know this is off topic but couldn't you mod the BIOS for the individual cards and then run them in crossfire? Set the clocks to the highest that the weakest card will go and cross fingers?

Nope, Bios is "FUSED". Flash "unsigned" BIOS, and card is dead.


:ROTF:

[lowfat]

Card arrives like tuesday/wednesday maybe earlier, since canada post wont update since it left canada and entered the states I have no tracking on it :(

Try the Canadian tracking number on the USPS site. Should work generally.

[ChaosMinionX]

Try the Canadian tracking number on the USPS site. Should work generally.

Doesnt say anything, cept estimated delivery is 18th :rolleyes:

[ChaosMinionX]

Nope, Bios is "FUSED". Flash "unsigned" BIOS, and card is dead.


:ROTF:

Then how come some people modded the sapphire Toxic BIOS, and flashed their X1900XTX...I for one ran a modded Toxic BIOS and never killed my card. In fact I went through 3 or 4 different BIOS's on this card.

[irev210]

im still thinking of ordering a 512MB one for 356.69 (inc. tax/ship)


I wish it used less power. It would give me a reason to get rid of my 8800GTX

[cadaveca]

Then how come some people modded the sapphire Toxic BIOS, and flashed their X1900XTX...I for one ran a modded Toxic BIOS and never killed my card. In fact I went through 3 or 4 different BIOS's on this card.

X1900XTX is not R600.:fact: I got many modded bioses for R520, R570, R580, R580+ too...was hoping for the same thing, TBH...

[ChaosMinionX]

X1900XTX is not R600.:fact: I got many modded bioses for R520, R570, R580, R580+ too...was hoping for the same thing, TBH...

Huh, thats dumb that they locked it then....good thing I bought premodded 1024mb, waiting on that will post results when I get it.

[eXceededgoku]

no way, i was considering getting one but i hate 2d clocks and so usually flash to always 3d clocks... Can anyone verify that?

[cadaveca]

Ask ViperJohn on OC.:fact:

[eXceededgoku]

omg i really struggle to believe that... bios flashing graphics cards has always been easy and allowed...

[cadaveca]

By ATI. Except, now it's not ATI in control now, it's AMD.

[rob[GL]]

I started some :banana::banana::banana::banana: now didn't I?

:(


I will concentrate on my new cpu+board+ram right now, but still can't wait to go buy another 512MB version HD2900... Will maybe make a new thread once I have this whole system figured out.

[ChaosMinionX]

My card didnt arrive today, damn border and importing.... Thank god for homeland security :rolleyes:

Anyways card should be here tomorrow, friday, or monday at the latest....Im hoping to have it this week though.