Official OcUK RX480 4GB and 8GB review thread

[Owenb]

I'm not sure where the Polaris architecture is crap comes from and also Vega is a different architecture, hence the different name. Polaris 11 and RX 470 (P10) are still to come and should by all accounts show much better power usage.

It is about on par with Maxwell performance per watt which is on 28nm. Now we know that Samsungs 14nm isn't as good as TSMC 16nm but it surely cannot explain the massive delta between AMD and Nvidia currently.

AFAIK Vega is GCN 4.0 as well and isn't a new architecture. AMD / Samsung / GF might learn something about the process node from the rollout of this chip to help improve Vega - if they don't they will need a 450mm2 chip that that consumes 275w to compete with the 1080.

 

[PhoenixUK]

I'm happy with it. If I can get custom card with good cooler such as msi gaming series for 199 for 4gb version it will be a much better choice than dated 960 that I was going to get. If not then I'll be hoping for 2nd hand 970 at 120 or 130, any more than that and it's simply not worth it.

 

[PhoenixUK]

Also, AMD doesn't necessarily have to beat 1070 and 1080. It just has to fill the void in the market as right now there are massive gaps and silly prices. Remember that 980s and 980tis won't be around for much longer in shops.

 

[eddyr]

Really, both Nvidia and AMD have disappointed in one way or another. Fairly lackluster showing for 14/16nm cards after all this time we'd been waiting for it and having to skip 20nm and all.

The heyday's of the 2000's looks to be well and truly gone and not coming back. With the lengthier time between process jumps and the time it takes for it to mature (yields and characteristics), both NV and AMD have had to alter their business model as products are not as economically viable as early/quickly as they used to be.

If people want great value deals they are going to have to wait for clearance deals (which may not occur if the manufacturer has good control of their supply channel), rather than banking on massive performance increases at process jumps for low prices, as the manufacturing costs are too high and take too long to drop.

One of the many changes we consumers are going to have to get used to along with subscription based business models.

 

[Mr Latte]

@ Seanspeed
Good so now you have vented your frustration and disappointment. Try not to act like some others who seem only intent to argue and put people off the card that still have an interest in it. Move on to a 1060 thread as clearly it will be better in every way and be faster even than a 980. Nvidia dominance will be complete and Nvidia fanboys here on OcUK can rejoice.

The flop of a card, failure that many call the RX480 seems to be selling rather well for the little unimportant people. Such fools that seek to make their own purchase decisions and buy the current most future proof decent performing card on the market at the £200 level.

 

[Kaapstad]

Yes and even better all will be shipped today!

AMD back in the game and dominating the £200 price segment!

Impressive !!!

Thankyou OcUK for mine too.

 

[Alexrose1uk]

@ Seanspeed
Good so now you have vented your frustration and disappointment.
...
The flop of a card, failure that many call the RX480 seems to be selling rather well for the little unimportant people. Such fools that seek to make their own purchase decisions and buy the current most future proof decent performing card on the market at the £200 level.

Yeah plus if the AIB cards come aggressively clocked and priced there may still be decent room for enthusiasts. 390/390X performance +20-25% for similar money would be pretty decent.

With the 1400-1600MHz range seeming possible on custom I can see this battle getting more interesting. 1600 clocks woulds put the card over 25% faster assuming scaling is fairly good which it seems some early reviews suggest is the case.

The card actually performs pretty well when you consider aside MHz it actually has less of everything like ROPs than the previous gen.

 

[FoxEye]

@ Seanspeed
Good so now you have vented your frustration and disappointment. Try not to act like some others who seem only intent to argue and put people off the card that still have an interest in it. Move on to a 1060 thread as clearly it will be better in every way and be faster even than a 980. Nvidia dominance will be complete and Nvidia fanboys here on OcUK can rejoice.

The flop of a card, failure that many call the RX480 seems to be selling rather well for the little unimportant people. Such fools that seek to make their own purchase decisions and buy the current most future proof decent performing card on the market at the £200 level.

You know it's strange. You seem to be more of a "fan" of one particular company than the people you're attacking.

Seanspeed has been pretty neutral in what he's said.

And what you clearly perceive as nV bias is in many people simply disappointment and frustration. We want AMD to deliver. Maybe one day they will...

 

[flopper]

This.
Even I am surprised at initial sales, we've now passed 1000, because this card is a totally amazing upgrade for 80% of gaming market and even better future proof due to its excellent DX12 performance and 8GB of VRAM.

Now and then I think Gibbo is the best seller in the world.

 

[Hodders]

If the PCI power draw is indeed in breach of the specs. I can see a whole heap of small claims cases for new motherboards.

Do OcUK Have an official line on this - have they tested any of the cards ?

 

[Mr Latte]

You know it's strange. You seem to be more of a "fan" of one particular company than the people you're attacking.

Seanspeed has been pretty neutral in what he's said.

And what you clearly perceive as nV bias is in many people simply disappointment and frustration. We want AMD to deliver. Maybe one day they will...

No dude I think its relevant to discuss and keep focus of interest on the card the thread is based on without all the hate. I like many had planned to get a 1070 but it is beyond my 1080p gaming requirements and also too far above the price I want to pay.

I can mock those still calling it a failure as clearly enthusiasts do not seem to grasp or understand the average buyer is more than happy with the features and spec this card brings at the price. Also the amount of interest it has generated and the potential of very high sales it may achieve.

Nothing more to say on it and look forward to AIB

 

[james.miller]

You know it's strange. You seem to be more of a "fan" of one particular company than the people you're attacking.

Seanspeed has been pretty neutral in what he's said.

And what you clearly perceive as nV bias is in many people simply disappointment and frustration. We want AMD to deliver. Maybe one day they will...

This will be the issue for a lot of forum folk. Speaking as a 970 owner and have been for a while now, it's disappointment from both sides, first with the 1070 having great performance but not hitting (anywhere near) the right price point and then the 480 getting the price right but barely outperforming maxwell on a node two sizes bigger and 2 years older. Don't forget also that polaris is embarrassed by pascal when it comes to performance per watt, and there's the questionably high loads that polaris is putting on the pcie slot.... AMD are really behind at this point. This makes me think about what's likely to happen to Zen and the next round of AMD-power consoles.

Never mind the fanboy stuff, pointing fingers and all this talk about company loyalty. It all comes down to whether the card has the right performance and if it hits the right performance/cost ratio for most people, even most enthusiasts. And while the 480 gets the performance/cost right (well, the 4gb cards do), they just aren't fast enough to push the game on and people in the middle with their 290xs/970s/390s etc are mostly left thinking is that it? is that what we've waited for? Yes, Joe blogs might well be happy with a 480, but this is a pc enthusiasts forum. We don't need to know whether joe blogs will be happy with AMD releasing cards that are two years behind nVidia developement-wise. Go let them be happy and lets get back to talking about enthusiast stuff.


Guess ill stick with my 970 until the 1070s drop to a reasonable price. Can't see that happening any time soon, now. imagine what the 1060 might be capable of against the 480. Says it all really.

 

[Mr Latte]

As others stated, some enthusiasts with all the hype were wanting the replacement of the 380 to be something it was never going to be. Compare it to what it replaces.

Sure the 1060 may be nice too but again people expecting a 60 series card to match a past 80 series at approx £200 price-point with lower power etc. Thats for its own thread and those interested...

 

[PhoenixUK]

So when the 1060 comes out at 980 performance, it will be 2.5 year behind. Damn nvidia, why can't they give us 980ti for £199. Useless!

 

[LoadsaMoney]

So when the 1060 comes out at 980 performance, it will be 2.5 year behind. Damn nvidia, why can't they give us 980ti for £199. Useless!

Will it need more power than the 1070 though.

 

[Mr Latte]

Pauls Hardware, wot does he say?

Certainly not bad but not more than a 1070 from this test.


Here the AIB might improve things...

 

[RavenXXX2]

Will it need more power than the 1070 though.

This is Nvidia, their middle name is efficient.

 

[Dave2150]

Pauls Hardware, wot does he say?

Certainly not bad...


Here the AIB might improve things...

Worth noting that the 1070 they are using in those graphs is an MSI pre-overclocked one, with additional power connectors on the card. The reference 1070 (founders) will have less power draw.

 

[Mr Latte]

Yes suppose thats great news for people who buy a 1070 for power efficiency then. Or also rather amusing that some will have 800w + PSU in their systems.

Although the RX480 is currently closer priced to the GTX960 / GTX970 and seems to offer a good deal of performance with reasonable differences in power. Certainly not poor by any stretch just seems like more bashing for the sake of bashing it.


Paul actually said what Gibbo said, this is a good card for the money and will sell well, get over it...

 

[james.miller]

As others stated, some enthusiasts with all the hype were wanting the replacement of the 380 to be something it was never going to be. Compare it to what it replaces.

Nobody knew it would match maxwell on performance per watt and sit between the 970 and 980 performance wise. if we did, The majority of the speculation wouldn't have took place. Unless you knew something nobody else did? Did you know polaris would only match maxwell on efficiency? Because everything points towards the intention for polaris to be a better card than it turned out to be.

Certainly not poor by any stretch just more bashing for the sake of bashing it.

Don't see many people doing that.

Yes suppose thats great news for people who buy a 1070 for power efficiency then. Or also rather amusing that some will have 800w + PSU in their systems.

Look at the bigger picture and what that means for the 1060. The 1070 already matches the 480 on power draw and is a lot quicker.