ATi Radeon 4890 Discussion

[thilanliyan]

Hmm...I didn't realize it was that close. I always assumed the 260 and hence the 4870 1GB was far behind the 285. Thanks for the summary SSChevy. I'm even happier with my 4870 now.

I can play Crysis at 875MHz on my 4870 but testing gives all these weird results. With Cat AI set to low and 750/950 (CPU 3GHz), I got 24fps in the custom timedemo from Guru3D Crysis benchmark tool. Now at 850/950 I got 28fps with the same settings. I then upped the CPU speed to 3.2GHz and got 26fps at 750/950 and again 28fps at 850/950 and 29fps at 875/950. Now with Cat AI OFF, I get no improvement in fps going from 750/950 to 850/950. I don't know what to make of the results...they seem to be all over the place.

What I'm wondering is why the fps went up more going from 750/950 to 850/950 at a LOWER CPU speed but then at a higher CPU speed, it didn't go up very much (up to the same maximum). And also why setting CAT AI off seems to limit the effects of GPU speed.

 

[Jacen]

Originally posted by: jaredpace
here it is running at 1ghz

http://www.hardware-infos.com/...tartseite/hd4890_3.jpg

In precision the HD 4890 could be run with 1000/1125 MHz instead of 850/975 MHz and reached an immense 3DMark Vantage score of X5480 points. The 18 per cent frequency increase in the chip and the 15 per cent increase in the memory was accomplished by the usual air cooling, while it was clearly visible with the driver menu that it rotated at full speed in 3D mode.
The 3DMark Vantage-Score lays between GTX 280 and GTX 285 - an accurate comparison is difficult, because the CPU performance is also involved in the result.

Already a few days ago we learned, that first HD 4890 cards would be followed by strongly overclocked ones in the weeks after. Thereby clock rates of 950 MHz and more for the chip and up to 1200 MHz for the memory were mentioned.

Independent from our information and the 3DMark result from PC Inlife, the announcement of an overlocked HD 4890 from Asus appeared on techPowerUp!. Precise clock rates were given 900/1000 MHz. A conspicuous thing was the use of the eight-pole plug, which foreshadows a TDP between 225 and 300 watt.

http://www.hardware-infos.com/...hp?news=2827&sprache=1

If there is confirmation of these speeds being on the Asus I am definitely picking one up. Hopefully it is the Matrix series.

 

[Cookie Monster]

If idle power consumption is relatively low on the HD4890, I might be interested in grabbing one of these puppies.

 

[SSChevy2001]

Originally posted by: thilan29
Hmm...I didn't realize it was that close. I always assumed the 260 and hence the 4870 1GB was far behind the 285. Thanks for the summary SSChevy. I'm even happier with my 4870 now.

I can play Crysis at 875MHz on my 4870 but testing gives all these weird results. With Cat AI set to low and 750/950 (CPU 3GHz), I got 24fps in the custom timedemo from Guru3D Crysis benchmark tool. Now at 850/950 I got 28fps with the same settings. I then upped the CPU speed to 3.2GHz and got 26fps at 750/950 and again 28fps at 850/950 and 29fps at 875/950. Now with Cat AI OFF, I get no improvement in fps going from 750/950 to 850/950. I don't know what to make of the results...they seem to be all over the place.

What I'm wondering is why the fps went up more going from 750/950 to 850/950 at a LOWER CPU speed but then at a higher CPU speed, it didn't go up very much (up to the same maximum). And also why setting CAT AI off seems to limit the effects of GPU speed.

No problem, it's not like the 4870 1GB is that far behind, besides your card gets some nice clocks. It's really comes down to waiting for ATi to optimize some title like COD WaW or Lost Planet, which took till 9.3 drivers. Hopefully now that ATi is more focus on current cards they can get more optimizations out sooner.

As far as the speed go I can't compare right now because my card is down and out till I get those replacement thermal pads. What I will say though is should never turn off Cat AI, unless your having problems. By turning it off your just disabling any optimizations include multicore support for Crysis.

Did you try the 8.562 drivers yet? I didn't get much time testing, but they seem to work nice.
http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=291098

 

[SSChevy2001]

Originally posted by: Cookie Monster
If idle power consumption is relatively low on the HD4890, I might be interested in grabbing one of these puppies.

I wouldn't count on that.

The idle frequency of the GPU with PowerPlay is enabled is 240 MHz. But the frequency of the GDDR5 memory did not follow and drop. According to the author of the original post, the GPU can go near 60 degrees when idle.

http://vr-zone.com/forums/4059...cs-card-exposed--.html

Dropping the GDDR5 speed seems to give the most power savings on these cards. While dropping the core under 550Mhz does absolutely nothing. Also near 60c shows the idle power is still too high. My 4870 idles near 40 degrees with custom clocks on the lowest fan speed.

 

[thilanliyan]

Originally posted by: SSChevy2001
What I will say though is should never turn off Cat AI, unless your having problems. By turning it off your just disabling any optimizations include multicore support for Crysis.

What does the Texture LOD adjustment do?

 

[nosfe]

I think the Texture Level Of Detail adjusts the level of detail of the texture

 

[Mech0z]

Anyone seen / heard if Sapphire is going to release a 4890 Vapor-X @ release ? (Are manufactures allowed to mod from the start on this prodct or should we expect a delay on none reference designs)

http://news.softpedia.com/imag...800-Series-Cards-3.jpg

I just want that cooler as it should be extremely quiet.

 

[thilanliyan]

Originally posted by: nosfe
I think the Texture Level Of Detail adjusts the level of detail of the texture

Yes thanks. What does going to negative or positive do though?

 

[nosfe]

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=547729
Plenty of guides on the net, just google

 

[ronnn]

Elite bastards is hinting they got their review sample. So the leaks should start in earnest now. That is assuming less stellar sites are also getting theirs. :laugh:

 

[Jacen]

http://www.pcvonline.com/Produ...tails.aspx?prodID=8551

start watching for these, they are coming in stock. I have also heard the date is being moved to April 2nd, up from the 9th and previously the 6th. This thing supposedly OCs like a banshee, even without over the top coolers. OCd it should compete and or beat the gtx 285.

 

[ronnn]

Originally posted by: Jacen
http://www.pcvonline.com/Produ...tails.aspx?prodID=8551

start watching for these, they are coming in stock. I have also heard the date is being moved to April 2nd, up from the 9th and previously the 6th. This thing supposedly OCs like a banshee, even without over the top coolers. OCd it should compete and or beat the gtx 285.

This high oc stuff is in many rumours. Personally I am not sure if it is viral advertising, or viral fud. If they all can oc like this, than ati would be smart to release a faster card. So probably viral fud - so all will feel disappointment on launch day.

 

[thilanliyan]

Originally posted by: Jacen
http://www.pcvonline.com/Produ...tails.aspx?prodID=8551

start watching for these, they are coming in stock. I have also heard the date is being moved to April 2nd, up from the 9th and previously the 6th. This thing supposedly OCs like a banshee, even without over the top coolers. OCd it should compete and or beat the gtx 285.

I hope the price comes down cause I don't think it's worth $100 over the 4870.

 

[Jacen]

http://www.fpslabs.com/news/la...rst-1ghz-graphics-card

1050 core/1175 memory speeds, vantage scores as well. Found it over on the H forum.

 

[chewietobbacca]

There's been more than a few leaks that these cards OC to 1GHz prettyh easily, and these leaks are from very varied sources, and some include retail cards.

I'm betting this is more viral advertising than viral FUD at this point

 

[BFG10K]

Originally posted by: thilan29

Yes thanks. What does going to negative or positive do though?

Negative shifts the sampling bias more towards the base texture while positive shifts it away.

In practical terms, a negative value sharpens the image (at the cost of texture aliasing), while a positive value blurs it.

 

[Creig]

The 4890 is "apparently" in stock at ewiz:

Gigabyte GV-R489-1GH-B HD4890 1GB - $243.78
Sapphire 100269SR HD4890 1GB - $238.68


I'd say those are pretty good initial prices. Give it a few weeks for some more cards to hit the market, along with a MIR and they should easily hit sub-$200.

 

[error8]

Originally posted by: Creig
The 4890 is "apparently" in stock at ewiz:

Gigabyte GV-R489-1GH-B HD4890 1GB - $243.78
Sapphire 100269SR HD4890 1GB - $238.68


I'd say those are pretty good initial prices. Give it a few weeks for some more cards to hit the market, along with a MIR and they should easily hit sub-$200.

They look fair to me. Just an oced 4870 1 gb. It doesn't worth more then that.

 

[Creig]

Originally posted by: error8

Originally posted by: Creig
The 4890 is "apparently" in stock at ewiz:

Gigabyte GV-R489-1GH-B HD4890 1GB - $243.78
Sapphire 100269SR HD4890 1GB - $238.68


I'd say those are pretty good initial prices. Give it a few weeks for some more cards to hit the market, along with a MIR and they should easily hit sub-$200.

They look fair to me. Just an oced 4870 1 gb. It doesn't worth more then that.

Well, from initial reports, these 4890's are clocking to 1GHz and above. And are doing it using just the stock cooler. That's something no 4870 is going to do. In addition, it has been mentioned that there have been a few tweaks done to the core. The core of the 4890 is physically larger than the 4870 which lends credibility to this claim.

So it's not simply an overclocked 4870. There's more to it than that.

 

[CrystalBay]

The Asus is the card to get IMO


Thanks BFG for the LOD explanation !!!! I really wish someone would sticki or wiki all these hardware feature terms for AT...

 

[rgallant]

Also one site mentioned cards are in the stores (maybe) , but the drivers won't come out until to Apr.02--- so low benchmarks , could be useless to tell the value of the OC.\card.
my .02--------bigger ATI win = sooner I get my gtx300

 

[thilanliyan]

Originally posted by: BFG10K

Originally posted by: thilan29

Yes thanks. What does going to negative or positive do though?

Negative shifts the sampling bias more towards the base texture while positive shifts it away.

In practical terms, a negative value sharpens the image (at the cost of texture aliasing), while a positive value blurs it.

Is there a performance hit going to either positive or negative?

 

[CrystalBay]

rflair has posted 4890 drivers ,so they may not be retail ,but they are out the in clouds....


More 4890 Info

 

[Tempered81]

Originally posted by: error8

Originally posted by: Creig
The 4890 is "apparently" in stock at ewiz:

Gigabyte GV-R489-1GH-B HD4890 1GB - $243.78
Sapphire 100269SR HD4890 1GB - $238.68


I'd say those are pretty good initial prices. Give it a few weeks for some more cards to hit the market, along with a MIR and they should easily hit sub-$200.

They look fair to me. Just an oced 4870 1 gb. It doesn't worth more then that.

'Reference clock speeds on the engine will be 850MHz, with the memory pushed to 975MHz. Though these speeds are already quite a bit above what we have experienced on the HD4870, two key optimizations have been made on the RV790 core to enhance the performance further.

The first of these changes is that the chip has been given a tune-up to tighten the clock loops and enhance the power distribution. The second change is that the chip can now operate on two distinct power planes; one for the 3D core and one for the memory controller. This provides for greater control of the voltages and allows the chip to run closer to its optimal range. The dual power plane design also means that there is a higher potential top-end frequency and lower idle power consumption, since there is more voltage control over the different parts of the ASIC.

As a result, overclocking potential is off the charts. Reports have been flooding the net about this chip running at and in excess of 1GHz; a feat never before achieved with reference cooling solutions. Couple this with the fact that the memory can also be overclocked near 1.2GHz, and you have a very enthusiast-oriented card'