AMD To Launch Radeon HD4890 "RV790" In April

[ownage]

There wont be any X2 design from ATI/AMD. But it's possible for perhaps Sapphire to create a X2 if they think there's a market for it.

[marten_larsson]

Higher clocks and lower FPS? Seems like a possible driver problem for me. Then again, there should be no major changes in the driver area if only the clocks are changed. ...completely different story if the whole shader structure/amount is changed...

Something is wrong there.

It's obvious that there's something wrong or else the 4890 is CPU limited since the fps is capped at 31,6. In FC2 there's 14, 20 and 35% improvement over 4870. In Crysis we see a 8,5% increase with 1920x1200 so...

Edit: With a 35% increase at 1920X1200 it should be competing very well with GTX285 (shouldn't it?!) but that is probably best case scenario.

Edit no2: Comparing the GTX285 with 4xAA and 16xAF and extrapolating the results shown by xbitlabs for a 4870 and 285, the 4890 should end up 5fps faster than the 285 at 1920x1200. Link and calculation 39,5 x 1,35= 53,325. I'm aware of that this really stretching it but the performance figures shows it may very well compete with the 285 at least in some games (more than before).

[Eastcoasthandle]

It's obvious that there's something wrong or else the 4890 is CPU limited since the fps is capped at 31,6. In FC2 there's 14, 20 and 35% improvement over 4870. In Crysis we see a 8,5% increase with 1920x1200 so...

Yup, all the results in crysis are capped at 31 FPS.

[v_rr]

FC2 gains are very promising.
Lets wait and see. Hope for better drivers

[flippin_waffles]

The first problem is that they are using an i7 920. Many reviews show the Phenom II to be the better chip for gaming.

[DoubleZero]

ATI does a lot better vs nvidia in high res, so a new ATI card showing better improvements at high res, seems natural.

[largon]

The first problem is that they are using an i7 920. Many reviews show the Phenom II to be the better chip for gaming.

Err...
Fact is, i7 is generally faster but Phenom II is able to match i7 in some titles or even barely beat it when real world gaming settings are used. So no, i7 is just fine for benchmarking GPUs. And in this case it totally doesn't matter as same CPU was used for each run.

[flippin_waffles]

Err...
Fact is, i7 is generally faster but Phenom II is able to match i7 in some titles or even barely beat it when real world gaming settings are used. So no, i7 is just fine for benchmarking GPUs. And in this case it totally doesn't matter as same CPU was used for each run.

There are other factors besides actual gameplay that affect i7 performance in gaming, like hyperthreading for instance. But whatever, if people like reading results with crippled systems, so be it. Maybe they turned it off.

Anyway, i've read this on vr-zone that the 9.4 driver will be released along side the rv790. I wonder if there's any significance to it.

http://news.ati-forum.de/index.php/n...launch-treiber

http://translate.google.de/translate...e&tl=en&swap=1

[ownage]

There are other factors besides actual gameplay that affect i7 performance in gaming, like hyperthreading for instance. But whatever, if people like reading results with crippled systems, so be it. Maybe they turned it off.

Anyway, i've read this on vr-zone that the 9.4 driver will be released along side the rv790. I wonder if there's any significance to it.

http://news.ati-forum.de/index.php/n...launch-treiber

http://translate.google.de/translate...e&tl=en&swap=1

Crippled? The I7 is a modern CPU that is very popular. If the 920 was a 2 year old cpu than I would have agreed, but the I7 is modern and this architecture will be around for the next few years. Don't start about PhenomeII. It may be good/modest in games, but it's really not enough for people who do more than just games. And besides that, not every gamer overclocks. There are enough games who read this reviews, want a stable system, and don't overclock at all.

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

I have yet to use a phenom II but I have heard very good things. I am building an i7 rig this week and a Phenom II after the end of april so I will let you know what my first hand impressions are of the 2 systems side by side

[flippin_waffles]

Crippled? The I7 is a modern CPU that is very popular. If the 920 was a 2 year old cpu than I would have agreed, but the I7 is modern and this architecture will be around for the next few years. Don't start about PhenomeII. It may be good/modest in games, but it's really not enough for people who do more than just games. And besides that, not every gamer overclocks. There are enough games who read this reviews, want a stable system, and don't overclock at all.

Well I don't agree.... at all.

[edit]

But, crippled might have been the wrong word to use. It's just not the best choice of cpu for gaming. That's Core 2 and Phenom II territory. And yes, Phenom II is more than enough for people who do more than just games.

[marten_larsson]

Let's not make this thread about PhII vs i7 now shall we. As long as the tests are done with the same testbed/specs there's really no need to criticise (spelling?) the review/tests.

[Hell Hound]

Yes,but a platform designed just for this gpu will perform better.

[Salsoolo]

crysis should get killed as a benchmark game. thats enough. this game loves geforce, i thought you know that.
i say we need new games (coded better)

[Glow9]

Yes,but a platform designed just for this gpu will perform better.

you talking about that AMD option that turns off all useless apps for gaming? Cause thats the only thing I've seen AMD side that will do anything for its GPUs. Even with that I'm not convinced you wouldn't see better performance over an i7 rig. My next rig is most likely a AMD Quad but I'm not going to be in any kinda denial over the hardware it all does what it does.

[ColonelCain]

Quit the OT discussion. This is not a PII vs. i7 discussion thread.

PCGH's early numbers are never spot on, but you can see a nice delta developing on the higher resolutions.

Plus, I want to see this thing clocked.

Perkam

Same.... if this is on the 55nm GT process....

[Bo_Fox]

UGH, I have a feeling that the GTX 275 would demolish the 4890, since a 633MHz core with 240 shaders is even faster than 65nm GTX 280 at only 600MHz. The memory shouldnt hold it back much at all, since 448-bit gives the same bandwidth as GDDR5 and 896MB is so close to 1GB. I do not think the 4890 would be able to touch either GTX 275 or 280.

ATI better have a surprise up its sleeve, or Nvidia is gonna wipe the floor with the 4890 attached to its mop.

[perkam]

UGH, I have a feeling that the GTX 275 would demolish the 4890, since a 633MHz core with 240 shaders is even faster than 65nm GTX 280 at only 600MHz. The memory shouldnt hold it back much at all, since 448-bit gives the same bandwidth as GDDR5 and 896MB is so close to 1GB. I do not think the 4890 would be able to touch either GTX 275 or 280.

ATI better have a surprise up its sleeve, or Nvidia is gonna wipe the floor with the 4890 attached to its mop.

Bo Fox, making predictions as harsh as that before the card is even released is what sends people down the wrong path towards fanboyhood.

Please refrain from making judgements/conclusions until April 6th. This is ATI we're talking about. If the performance is not satisfactory, the price certainly will be.

Lastly, we are overclockers. If you wish to make judgements on stock clocks, go right ahead.

Perkam

[Bo_Fox]

Bo Fox, making predictions as harsh as that before the card is even released is what sends people down the wrong path towards fanboyhood.

Please refrain from making judgements/conclusions until April 6th. This is ATI we're talking about. If the performance is not satisfactory, the price certainly will be.

Lastly, we are overclockers. If you wish to make judgements on stock clocks, go right ahead.

Perkam

LOL.. you're sounding like an ATI fanboi right now, big time!

Just kidding with ya. I'm just saying that ATI better have a surprise. Like being able to overclock to 1GHz, or actually having 960 shaders/ 48 TMU's at 850MHz. But as you can see, there's already sightings of the 4890 in Hong Kong and Taiwan. We all know that a 4870 overclocked to 850MHz still cannot get anywhere near the GTX 280 (remember, Nvidia cards can also be overclocked).

[LiquidReactor]

UGH, I have a feeling that the GTX 275 would demolish the 4890, since a 633MHz core with 240 shaders is even faster than 65nm GTX 280 at only 600MHz. The memory shouldnt hold it back much at all, since 448-bit gives the same bandwidth as GDDR5 and 896MB is so close to 1GB. I do not think the 4890 would be able to touch either GTX 275 or 280.

ATI better have a surprise up its sleeve, or Nvidia is gonna wipe the floor with the 4890 attached to its mop.

GTX 275 isn't going to be any supercard, its just a cheaper way for Nvidia to replace GTX 280 with a similarly performing card. I'm guessing once the reviews are done 275 will either be on par or slightly faster then the old GTX 280.

[eric66]

UGH, I have a feeling that the GTX 275 would demolish the 4890, since a 633MHz core with 240 shaders is even faster than 65nm GTX 280 at only 600MHz. The memory shouldnt hold it back much at all, since 448-bit gives the same bandwidth as GDDR5 and 896MB is so close to 1GB. I do not think the 4890 would be able to touch either GTX 275 or 280.

ATI better have a surprise up its sleeve, or Nvidia is gonna wipe the floor with the 4890 attached to its mop.

pft drama boy wipe floor with gtx 275 haha and how much it will cost to nvidia to price that kinda product same with 4890 ? how it will effect gtx 285 gtx 260 and gtx 280s sales since it will probably faster according to you from both gtx 260 and gtx 280 so that means very close to gtx 285

[RaZz!]

but let's be honest: if the current facts are true, the 4890 is really only an "overclocked 4870". we already saw 4870s oc'ed to these specs and it's nothing breath taking. i really ask myself how ati wants to get anywhere near the 280/285gtx with that.

on the other hand i can't believe that ati just clocked the gpu and ram a bit higher (plus some "tweaks", whatever that means...) and releases that as a brand new 4890. i do hope there's more to it than that.

[Shadowmage]

but let's be honest: if the current facts are true, the 4890 is really only an "overclocked 4870". we already saw 4870s oc'ed to these specs and it's nothing breath taking. i really ask myself how ati wants to get anywhere near the 280/285gtx with that.

According to Beyond3D forums, the die size is slightly larger (based on screenshot compares), which would explain the small IPC increase.

on the other hand i can't believe that ati just clocked the gpu and ram a bit higher (plus some "tweaks", whatever that means...) and releases that as a brand new 4890. i do hope there's more to it than that.

Both ATI and NVIDIA have a history of doing this. I really don't see the problem with it, as long as it's a substantial clock boost. Remember the Ultra and Platinum editions?

[Solus Corvus]

but let's be honest: if the current rumors are true,...

Fixed. Facts are always true.

[IvanAndreevich]

UGH, I have a feeling that the GTX 275 would demolish the 4890, since a 633MHz core with 240 shaders is even faster than 65nm GTX 280 at only 600MHz. The memory shouldnt hold it back much at all, since 448-bit gives the same bandwidth as GDDR5 and 896MB is so close to 1GB. I do not think the 4890 would be able to touch either GTX 275 or 280.

ATI better have a surprise up its sleeve, or Nvidia is gonna wipe the floor with the 4890 attached to its mop.

It won't demolish anything if the 4890 is cheaper.