Sapphire HD3870X2 Low performance

**polar bear** · 03-31-2008, 12:23 AM

Using catalyst 8.3 yields 20016 ie mostly the same

http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=6023892

**everlast247** · 03-31-2008, 03:28 AM

Stoked. I am glad you found the problem. I am going to use your experience with a couple of guys I know who are having problems too.

Good job and I hope you enjoy your card.

**NBF** · 03-31-2008, 05:20 AM

I'm having similar issue, when I first installed the card, my system did 18500 in 3dmark06 with stock GPU speeds, this was not consistent, performance seemed to vary from one day to the other.

I decided to do a new OS install (since I used to have an NV card in the old install), and now my system scores 17000 with same setings

. Tryed Cat. 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 and hotfix, using DriverSweeper and install in safety mode, all do the same results.

The performance drop is not noticed only on 3dmark, my CoJ DX10 benchmark went from 63fps to 44fps average (1440x900 no AA), performance in Crysis is much worse than was before.

I tryed to fix clocks with AMDGPUTool and played with Advanced/Standart Cat AI, had no luck.

I'm getting really frustrated with this card.

Does anybody have any extra tips??? I would like to try a little more before give up and sell the card.

[ ]s

**MadDias** · 03-31-2008, 07:22 AM

Originally Posted by Waymon3X6

Thats a low score even for a single 3870, never mind 2. With a C2D he should be hitting around 11k if he had 1 3870 - but he has basically 2.

kotz doesn´t have a c2d.. he has an amd@2.6ghz.
a friend of mine is running his c2d 6300@stock clocks of 1.8ghz and has a 8800gtx. he doesn´t even get 9k in 3dmark06.
so for one hd3870 u´ll need at least a 4ghz c2d to score around 11k. keep in mind that one hd3870 is alot slower than a 8800gtx.
and 2 hd3870´s don´t score that much higher with a 2.6ghz dualcore amd cpu. 3dmark06 at standard resolution is highly cpu bottlenecked.
fyi my amd@3ghz+single 2900 =10k with two cards =12k

**spajdr** · 03-31-2008, 07:48 AM

there is also cat 8.3 hotfix
http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?t=33919367
which can improve a sudden decrease of fps.

**mr2sw21** · 03-31-2008, 06:36 PM

Well here this is what I have I got the most updated driver but this is what I got. Can anyone help? When the part of the dragon comes out from the water it goes like 7fps my 3850 256 was 20fps I think. How can that be possible. When I play games it shutter like hell. What can I do besides return it?

**mr2sw21** · 03-31-2008, 06:38 PM

sorry for the pic this one should be better.

**cadaveca** · 03-31-2008, 07:35 PM

update driver to 8.3 hotfix, not 8.3 release, and don't expect too much from stock cpu speeds in 3DMark06. Your cpu score is quite low.

**NBF** · 03-31-2008, 08:09 PM

Here is what I've got with the old Vista install, just took out 88GTS and E6400, replaced with HD3870X2 and Q6600, removed NV video drivers and installed cat 8.3.

18969

Then I figured a new install would be better, I guessed wrong

This is what I get now

17300

Canyon flight 87fps now is 68fps

I just don't get it...

Any tips will be appreciated.

[ ]s

**mr2sw21** · 03-31-2008, 08:17 PM

well take a look at this this score was my 3850 256's one same CPU and same speed but almost 1000 different. What's going on?

**cadaveca** · 03-31-2008, 08:20 PM

Crossfire is highly limited by cpu usage. I'll be home in a little over an hour...i'll toss off a bench at your speeds so you can compare. While you are waiting, loading up 8.3 hotfix driver so we have an accuratye compare would be great, pls and thanks.

**NBF** · 03-31-2008, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by mr2sw21

well take a look at this this score was my 3850 256's one same CPU and same speed but almost 1000 different. What's going on?

You are using XP, cat 8.3 is buggy for 3870X2 in XP, there is too much cpu hit.

Try Visiontek 8.2 under XP

Or, as Cadaveca said, the hotfix for XP might work as well.

[ ]s

**mr2sw21** · 03-31-2008, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by cadaveca

Crossfire is highly limited by cpu usage. I'll be home in a little over an hour...i'll toss off a bench at your speeds so you can compare. While you are waiting, loading up 8.3 hotfix driver so we have an accuratye compare would be great, pls and thanks.

The one that I post earlier is already hotfix 8.3 but I still get the same result.

**cadaveca** · 03-31-2008, 09:55 PM

OK, so here's Vista, your cpu speed(albeit with 6mb of cache), 4gb of ram @ 5-5-5-12, I'll pop into xp and snap it in just a moment.

**cadaveca** · 03-31-2008, 10:44 PM

First XP w/ CfX off, second CfX on...seems XP driver needs some work!

**cadaveca** · 03-31-2008, 11:00 PM

So then I change desktop resolution.....to match 3DMark06 default.

Is there a pattern about to develop?

**cadaveca** · 03-31-2008, 11:16 PM

2560x1600....

**mr2sw21** · 04-01-2008, 05:55 AM

so seem like it is the problem of Winxp not CCC. Good work Cadaveca. Thanks a lot. Hope this problem will resolve soon Otherwise I better return the card.

**MadDias** · 04-01-2008, 08:52 AM

the hit on cpu score in 3dmark06 is caused by the cat8.3.
did u remove the microsoft visual c++ 2005 redistributable before installing cat8.3? try it, uninstall cat8.3, remove all the the 2005redistributables u got installed and then reinstall cat8.3.
hope this helps

**mr2sw21** · 04-01-2008, 05:51 PM

nope it doesn't work. I tried to uninstall the CCC and also the C++ 2005 and reinstall them, nothing improve.

**cadaveca** · 04-01-2008, 06:05 PM

problem is confined to cpu test #2, and canyon flight. For some reason both of these test present extremely low framerates...canyon good for the first 30 seconds or so, then starts to falter.

obvious driver issues...memleak, or what have you. changing desktop resolution should not affect scores like it does with this driver, for sure!

**mr2sw21** · 04-01-2008, 07:40 PM

Yeah I think so, so in a mean while I will stick with my 3850 256 until the 3870x2 drop price and they have updated driver. Thanks for everyone's input.

**mr2sw21** · 04-02-2008, 04:01 PM

By the way I was so curious about what Visiontek's life time thing is so I call them up and see what tech support that they can help me with. So I called them and that tech guy just said it might be the hardware problem just told me to send it to them and exchange another one, and I ask what if the other one is the same result, he said then it might be my mobo or cpu or anything else. So I ask is any way I can send you anything so you can check out if it is the driver problem and they just simply say no and told me if about the driver I have to directly contact with ATI. So they have life time warrant but is not helping much.

**cadaveca** · 04-02-2008, 04:26 PM

Well, considering they offered to replace the card for you, I'd say it DID help...however, given that I get the same results, and in XP only, we can basically confirm that the problem is the driver.

Yoiu have two options, wait for another driver, or switch to Vista...the card is working quite well for me in VIsta...if it wasn't for some games not worknig in Vista(DX8, a few DX9 titles), I'd be quickly taking XP off of my harddrive

**NBF** · 04-02-2008, 04:50 PM

Yesterday I found what was givving me less performance than expected

It wasn't anything related to software, was just bad contact in the pci-e slot!

The weird thing is that no errors where reported or aparent, just the performance dropped.

I did a motherboard and card cleaning and now performance is rock solid again.

[ ]s

Thread: Sapphire HD3870X2 Low performance

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Rate This Thread

Display

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions