Discussion On The ATI Radeon 5*** Series Before They Have Been Released Thread

kablooey · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:36

Nice results but looking at them makes me want crossfire! wonder if I should wait a few weeks for the X2 now... :eek:

Where did the other thread go?

Fire Wizard · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:37

Hi guys,

I'm sorry to say but I have removed Azza's thread. Though, I did consult him first about this. The reason I have removed it was because it was a leaked review but also because of the Catalyst 8.66 RC6 drivers they were using. I think it would be best to keep everything that isn't particularly reliable in this thread and then once websites like Anandtech, Bit-Tech, Firing Squad, The Tech Report etc, publish their reviews about ATI's new graphics cards, a new can then be created.

RavenXXX2 · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:38

Catalyst 8.66 RC6 drivers...what do you think the other review sites are using..??..Catalyst 8.66 RC6 drivers...0_o...tomshardware, fairly well respect site as well, so yeah, I believe they are the drivers all other sites are using and the review is accurate.

ViRuS2k · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:39

Fire Wizard said:
Hi guys,

I'm sorry to say but I have removed Azza's thread. Though, I did consult him first about this. The reason I have removed it was because it was a leaked review but also because of the driver set they were using. We can't possibly pull an accurate conclusion from a review that is using the Catalyst 8.66 RC6 drivers. I think it would be best to keep everything that isn't particularly reliable in this thread and then once websites like Anandtech, Bit-Tech, Firing Squad, The Tech Report etc, publish their reviews about ATI's new graphics cards, a new thread will then be created.

Keepin it real

dustofnations · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:39

Fire Wizard said:
Hi guys,

I'm sorry to say but I have removed Azza's thread. Though, I did consult him first about this. The reason I have removed it was because it was a leaked review but also because of the driver set they were using. We can't possibly pull an accurate conclusion from a review that is using the Catalyst 8.66 RC6 drivers. I think it would be best to keep everything that isn't particularly reliable in this thread and then once websites like Anandtech, Bit-Tech, Firing Squad, The Tech Report etc, publish their reviews about ATI's new graphics cards, a new thread will then be created.

Another Tomshardware blunder? They seem to be becoming expert at inept reviews. Hopefully they'll be proven correct and we aren't seeing another re-run of the SSD fiasco.

Tute · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:39

RavenXXX2 said:
Catalyst 8.66 RC6 drivers...what do you think the other review sites are using..??..Catalyst 8.66 RC6 drivers...0_o

Official 9.9s?

They've been out almost two weeks, to use a RC set is just lazy.

Ludomudo · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:41

power consumption is nice! THere goes my 60£ monthly electricity bill!

samir_ansari · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:41

also as i said a few pages back its probably wise that we sit back and wait for actual dx11 titles to be run on these cards, after all its where amd have been spending a lot of their R&D costs on for quite some time now (wayyy before nvidia)

Subtlesnake · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:42

Squakingcow said:
Even the 8800gtx got beaten in quite a number of games/benchmarks by the 7950GX2 on launch (until nVidia stopped supporting the 7950GX2 properly).

Yes, but the point is even when crossfire/SLI doesn't scale well, the 5870 doesn't shine. If memory serves, the 7950 GX2 was about as fast as 2900 XT/8800 GTS 640, overall, which makes the comparison more apt.

Also worth noting that there are possibly a few performance sapping gremlins in the driver department, since the 5870 is getting beaten by the 4870X2. Yet the 5870 is essentially an overclocked, single core 4870X2 (meaning it should have none of the crossfire overheads that the 4870X2 suffers).

It has double the theoretical power of a 4890, but only 23% more bandwidth, which would explain the bottleneck. The memory isn't fast enough to feed it.

Anyway, hopefully the other benchmarks paint a better picture.

RavenXXX2 · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:43

Tute said:
Official 9.9s?

They've been out almost two weeks, to use a RC set is just lazy.

I doubt its lazy, they have probably been instructed by ATI to use those specific drivers, it would be a complete mickey mouse site if they couldn't even get the correct drivers installed.

Ludomudo · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:44

maybe its the driver that comes with the review card? I really cant see why this invalidates the review? my two cents.

Rroff · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:44

The 7950GX2 would slightly edge it over the 8800GTS 640Mb in most cases - only beat the 8800GTX in a very very few games, ETQW being one of them if memory serves correctly.

LoadsaMoney · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:45

Yeah, but do the 9.9's have 5800 support, seen as they wern't out when they were released.

Tute · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:46

RavenXXX2 said:
I doubt its lazy, they have probably been instructed by ATI to use those specific drivers, it would be a complete mickey mouse site if they couldn't even get the correct drivers installed.

Well they're clearly incapable of sticking to an NDA, so I wonder what else they've ignored?

fornowagain · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:47

RavenXXX2 said:
I doubt its lazy, they have probably been instructed by ATI to use those specific drivers, it would be a complete mickey mouse site if they couldn't even get the correct drivers installed.

It says AMD Catalyst 8.66 RC6 & AMD Catalyst 9.9 and in the drivers section. Not quite sure what to make of that.

It is a bit odd to see the 4870X2 beating it in any scenario.

LeJosh · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:47

When has ATi called there driver name by 8.66? It has always been 9.8 9.7...

If you look in CCC; driver packaging version is 8.65 in my CCC with catalyst version being 9.9

(Edited for clarity

)

Buckster · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:47

the review is not up on their main site is it ?

LoadsaMoney · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:48

9.9's are 8.65's, so could that not just be a version of the 9.9's that they've added the 5800 id's to, in which case there would be no benefit on them, as they'll only recognise the cards.

Broken Hope · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:48

Tute said:
Official 9.9s?

They've been out almost two weeks, to use a RC set is just lazy.

Do you even know how ATI version their drivers? the 9.9's are version 8.65, meaning the 8.66 RC's are basically the 9.10's

Check your CCC if you have an ATI card and you'll see the versioning.

fornowagain · 22 Sep 2009 at 23:52

LoadsaMoney said:
9.9's are 8.65's, so could that not just be a version of the 9.9's that they've added the 5800 strings to, in which case they would be no benefit on them, as they'll only recognise the cards.

Yes of course, that must be it. An early beta.