[News/Various] AMD Radeon VEGA Reviews

[StyM]

Guru3D -> https://www.guru3d.com/articles-page...-review,1.html
HotHardware -> https://hothardware.com/reviews/amd-...-review?page=1
PCGamer -> http://www.pcgamer.com/the-amd-radeo...ega-64-review/
PcPer -> https://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphi...Vega-56-Tested
PCWorld -> http://www.pcworld.com/article/32151...64-tested.html
TweakTown -> http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/83...ore/index.html
TomsHardware -> http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...a-64,5173.html
AnandTech -> http://www.anandtech.com/show/11717/...-and-56-review
GamersNexus -> http://www.gamersnexus.net/hwreviews...ge-hbm-vs-core
TechPowerUp -> https://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/...on_RX_Vega_64/
TechPowerUp -> https://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/...on_RX_Vega_56/
Bit-Tech -> http://bit-tech.net/reviews/tech/gra...a-56-review/1/


Video Reviews:
BitWit -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOIVkIgtrvE
Hardware Unboxed -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQCal8t-qvQ
LTT -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU5kcRUpEks
Paul's Hardware -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL5oNxkQRHA
Tech of Tomorrow -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flVdpuxKze8
TechSource -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii1kW_Balfo

[AliG]

Color me unimpressed. It's solid value, but man being a year late to the party hurts.

AMD doesn't shut up when they think they have a winner. I called it months ago when they went silent on Vega news at their press releases that it wouldn't compete with the 1080 Ti.

[Tim]

A year and 3 months late and we get a card that trades blows with the 1080 yet consumes WAY and I really mean way more power. Also, what's up with the overclocking?

AMD's GPU department is a sad state nowadays. Disappointed. Back to the drawing board AMD.

[AliG]

A year and 3 months late and we get a card that trades blows with the 1080 yet consumes WAY and I really mean way more power. Also, what's up with the overclocking?

AMD's GPU department is a sad state nowadays. Disappointed. Back to the drawing board AMD.

It's the lack of resources. They all know GCN has serious limitations, but don't have the funding to blow up the architecture and start from scratch. So instead you get a lot of duct-taping pre-fetch fixes and driver tuning, but the reality is it just isn't an efficient architecture.

Their next major architecture should be much better. Ryzen is bringing some serious cash flow in and they're looking to be profitable for the foreseeable future. That means they'll both have the money to invest, and more importantly will be able to actually attract/retain the necessary development talent.

[kromosto]

It's the lack of resources. They all know GCN has serious limitations, but don't have the funding to blow up the architecture and start from scratch. So instead you get a lot of duct-taping pre-fetch fixes and driver tuning, but the reality is it just isn't an efficient architecture.

Their next major architecture should be much better. Ryzen is bringing some serious cash flow in and they're looking to be profitable for the foreseeable future. That means they'll both have the money to invest, and more importantly will be able to actually attract/retain the necessary development talent.

I always loved GCN. While it never beats nvidia anytime it always have been the most generic design.

[AliG]

I always loved GCN. While it never beats nvidia anytime it always have been the most generic design.

lol isn't that the primary problem though? The architecture is inherently unbalanced (probably because it's cheaper to design in more raw power than do it efficiently). AMD needs to go back to the drawing board and re-evaluate how their pipeline can be restructed to get more usable computation out of each clock.

[qcmadness]

I always loved GCN. While it never beats nvidia anytime it always have been the most generic design.

More power hungry, less efficient per transistor level.
Inferior in every means.

[StAndrew]

Vega 56 is looking like a nice option...

[chew*]

And....they are sold out...

[Tim]

And....they are sold out...

Just came home from work here in the UK and checked stock levels, but they aren't even for sale yet, just says pre-order.

[chew*]

MC had 4...gone newegg is sold out. All were $100 over msrp except 1 msi.

I can buy an open box 1080ti for $600 or thereabouts i am not about to pay $100 more than msrp.

[StAndrew]

Coin miners. So long for "building stock for gamers."

AMD probably has some stock to fill the "Bundles" they are offering.

[kromosto]

More power hungry, less efficient per transistor level.
Inferior in every means.

Power hungry yes, less efficient maybe but it is the best gpu if you look at how it processes commands.

[chew*]

Coin miners. So long for "building stock for gamers."

AMD probably has some stock to fill the "Bundles" they are offering.

I am fairly annoyed. I had full intentions of getting one today @ MC or ordering one IF I could get it @ msrp without price gouging.

I know the ref cards are not as good as the partners cards down the line but for flexibility ref cards are the better option for full cover water block compatibility.

[Tim]

I am fairly annoyed. I had full intentions of getting one today @ MC or ordering one IF I could get it @ msrp without price gouging.

I know the ref cards are not as good as the partners cards down the line but for flexibility ref cards are the better option for full cover water block compatibility.

I think it will be very very hard for the average consumer to get their hands on one this early, and perhaps even in the long run, I think with availability levels and the mining craze, you're lucky to get one at a reasonable price in Autumn all together.

[Tim]

Plus, I really need to call AMD out on this one:

Two days ago, AMD provided an updated driver for overclocking testing only, which claims to address this, but it came in too late, when I had already left for my summer vacation

Again drivers. AMD really sucks when it comes to their drivers. Every damn time. This is why I've never had an ATI or AMD card in my daily gaming rig. There is just too much nonsense like this on launch day/first few weeks.

With AMD you can be assured that only after a few months do you get maximum performance but at least with Nvidia there is decent performance and stability out of the box. AMD really need to get their act together in their driver department. It's shocking, every time they launch a card.

[chew*]

TBH i think it is less coin miners...directly and even less gamers.

Its Scalpers

[Sparky]

Plus, I really need to call AMD out on this one:



Again drivers. AMD really sucks when it comes to their drivers. Every damn time. This is why I've never had an ATI or AMD card in my daily gaming rig. There is just too much nonsense like this on launch day/first few weeks.

With AMD you can be assured that only after a few months do you get maximum performance but at least with Nvidia there is decent performance and stability out of the box. AMD really need to get their act together in their driver department. It's shocking, every time they launch a card.

Wasn't my experience every time. I've had some pretty bum crap drivers from the get go (from both camps).

Most of the time I haven't had driver issues from AMD, but I never have used release drivers. Usually when I buy the current gen card it has been out for a few weeks by that point.

[Chrono Detector]

Seems like another 2900XT card. A year late, fails to perform against the GTX 1080Ti and what's worse it consumes too much power to justify it's performance. Very disappointed with AMD this round, but at least they caught up with Intel in the CPU department.

[JAWS]

Seems like another 2900XT card.

Exactly the card I was thinking about when reading the reviews. I'm speaking just for me, but sorry AMD or Nvidia I'm not paying $600 for 1 gpu. Never!

also, the more gouging I see at newegg....the more I'm thinking about taking my business elsewhere. I thought it was the 3rd parties gouging.

Hopefully there is another 4850 somewhere down the pipeline. Until then they can keep there overpriced cards.

[Cold Fussion]

The stock is probably low because John Snow has bought them all to take the fight directly to winter itself.

[madcho]

The stock is probably low because John Snow has bought them all to take the fight directly to winter itself.

yeah, but he needs power ...
A simple resistor is cheaper anyway.

VEGA64 is sadly inefficient. Yes they done higher speed for half precision, and int8. That's good. but for that number of shaders, the power consummed by the board is too high. 4096 number stayed the same ??? WTF ???
They rised so much frequency that the perf/watt gain with a lower node is killed.

Higher size GPU has always be much better than higher frequencies.

I remember 6800GS and / 6800GT. Same deal, higher freqency and the other hand higher number of pipes, for the same pixel power.
My 6800GT was much better feeling in game that the 6800GS smoother.

Why not having a most monstrous GPU running low frequency ? Because more the size is big more it cost to produce. And it's hard to make a huge GPU and embded VRAM on the same component ...

I pass on this generation too power hungry for a low perf bump. My guess if NAVI is not a huge chip with TSMC, I will pass again. There other that may think like me. Vega56 is not so bad, but 8 months too late.

[vario]

It looks like in europe its 599$+Vat even for the "black" vega 64 :-/ ,
On a happier note, it seems that Vega 56 after undervolting and HBM2 OC +50% power target, draws like 250W, and is very close to the 1080 in performance.bad news is its not available till sept pretty much.

[kromosto]

It looks like in europe its 599$+Vat even for the "black" vega 64 :-/ ,
On a happier note, it seems that Vega 56 after undervolting and HBM2 OC +50% power target, draws like 250W, and is very close to the 1080 in performance.bad news is its not available till sept pretty much.

Yes 56 is very promising for people who seek a performance like that.

[EternityZX9]

I am fairly annoyed. I had full intentions of getting one today @ MC or ordering one IF I could get it @ msrp without price gouging.

I don't know what world you're living in lol. ...but...

Prices for new GPU's at release have been price gouged for a long time now. If you want it at MSRP going to have to wait at least a couple of months after a release before prices come down or find a way to buy directly from the producing company. Always has been scalpers, the bit coin miners are making it worse, and now even major companies like Amazon are jumping in on the action will charge an extra $50 to $100 (which has been true from the last 2 GPU's I bought from Amazon). I guess people are like if you can't beat them, join them!

Exactly the card I was thinking about when reading the reviews. I'm speaking just for me, but sorry AMD or Nvidia I'm not paying $600 for 1 gpu. Never!

also, the more gouging I see at newegg....the more I'm thinking about taking my business elsewhere. I thought it was the 3rd parties gouging.

Hopefully there is another 4850 somewhere down the pipeline. Until then they can keep there overpriced cards.

Oh don't even get me started on Newegg! I stopped buying a lot of my PC parts in the last 5 years from them because they are one of the worst at price gouging - and I've even had some problems with their RMA process before - so I switched to using Amazon mainly for parts but even they are jumping in on the price gouging! Ugh. Can't win.