My ATI HD 2900 XT Experience.....

thesimplesimon · 14 May 2007 at 19:19

Anandtech has it up now.Seems like the others.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2988

onetimeposter · 14 May 2007 at 20:42

Here are my issues with the OP -

1. These cards are not quiet, even in a case with several fans, once the RD600 cards spin up (Solitaire will do it by the way) they are loud. I have been testing the cards since March so here are the CrossFire Results with the original ATI OEM samples and retail cards from MSI.

OEM - CrossFire

Idle - 46.7 dBA
Load - 64.3 dBA

MSI - CrossFire

Idle - 43.4 dBA
Load - 59.6 dBA

If the original user had early samples as I did, then there is no way one could consider the card to be quiet under load. One of the biggest complaints from the initial lots revolved around sound. The retail cards are a little better in that regard but are still louder than anything in most cases today. When the fans on the cards spin up, you also have vibration issues.

2. Vista Drivers -
The 8.36 drivers were not stable by a long shot and performance was worse in most cases than the NVIDIA cards with early drivers. The 8.37.3 drivers have improved, at least to the point that most games will run without locking now and tearing is no longer an issue in games such as Q4 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. . However, you have to run a patch .dll file in order to get accurate results in Vista with 3D05/3D06/PCM05 and most games still do not like AA/AF settings. You also need to add the statement -nosysteminfo in order to get the FutureMark benchmarks to even start under 64 bit. To even consider this card to be stable and well performing under Vista with the 8.36 drivers is a joke. :rolleyes:

LLBDTiberio · 14 May 2007 at 20:48

onetimeposter said:
Here are my issues with the OP -

1. These cards are not quiet, even in a case with several fans, once the RD600 cards spin up (Solitaire will do it by the way) they are loud. I have been testing the cards since March so here are the CrossFire Results with the original ATI OEM samples and retail cards from MSI.

OEM - CrossFire

Idle - 46.7 dBA
Load - 64.3 dBA

MSI - CrossFire

Idle - 43.4 dBA
Load - 59.6 dBA

If the original user had early samples as I did, then there is no way one could consider the card to be quiet under load. One of the biggest complaints from the initial lots revolved around sound. The retail cards are a little better in that regard but are still louder than anything in most cases today. When the fans on the cards spin up, you also have vibration issues.

2. Vista Drivers -
The 8.36 drivers were not stable by a long shot and performance was worse in most cases than the NVIDIA cards with early drivers. The 8.37.3 drivers have improved, at least to the point that most games will run without locking now and tearing is no longer an issue in games such as Q4 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. . However, you have to run a patch .dll file in order to get accurate results in Vista with 3D05/3D06/PCM05 and most games still do not like AA/AF settings. You also need to add the statement -nosysteminfo in order to get the FutureMark benchmarks to even start under 64 bit. To even consider this card to be stable and well performing under Vista with the 8.36 drivers is a joke.

Sorry, but I don't believe you, give me screenshots of the measurements and I will accept it, but right now you sound like a fanboy who just wants to discredit.

Squakingcow · 14 May 2007 at 20:51

onetimeposter said:
Here are my issues with the OP -

1. These cards are not quiet, even in a case with several fans, once the RD600 cards spin up (Solitaire will do it by the way) they are loud. I have been testing the cards since March so here are the CrossFire Results with the original ATI OEM samples and retail cards from MSI.

OEM - CrossFire

Idle - 46.7 dBA
Load - 64.3 dBA

MSI - CrossFire

Idle - 43.4 dBA
Load - 59.6 dBA

If the original user had early samples as I did, then there is no way one could consider the card to be quiet under load. One of the biggest complaints from the initial lots revolved around sound. The retail cards are a little better in that regard but are still louder than anything in most cases today. When the fans on the cards spin up, you also have vibration issues.

2. Vista Drivers -
The 8.36 drivers were not stable by a long shot and performance was worse in most cases than the NVIDIA cards with early drivers. The 8.37.3 drivers have improved, at least to the point that most games will run without locking now and tearing is no longer an issue in games such as Q4 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. . However, you have to run a patch .dll file in order to get accurate results in Vista with 3D05/3D06/PCM05 and most games still do not like AA/AF settings. You also need to add the statement -nosysteminfo in order to get the FutureMark benchmarks to even start under 64 bit. To even consider this card to be stable and well performing under Vista with the 8.36 drivers is a joke.

Ok, at what distance did you measure the dba? Your results are useless without that. You give no comparison bettween this card and others (eg. gtx).
So in basic, your results are fairly unreliable

willhub · 14 May 2007 at 20:55

LLBDTiberio said:
Sorry, but I don't believe you, give me screenshots of the measurements and I will accept it, but right now you sound like a fanboy who just wants to discredit.

64DBA? Thats loud I dont think there really that loud lol.

z0mbi3 · 14 May 2007 at 20:56

onetimeposter said:
snip

I'd be more inclined to believe that your experienced differed to that of the OP's owing to a different hardware cominbation and quality control.

Besides the review isn't claiming to be anything its not. It's just one guys results with an early sample. I don't know why people get so fired up about that.

Jokester · 14 May 2007 at 20:57

willhub said:
64DBA? Thats loud I dont think there really that loud lol.

Depends where it's measured, 5m away it would be very loud, right next to the card not so. Without that information the results are useless.

Jokester

Rizz · 14 May 2007 at 21:03

I Knew this thing would be a few fps faster than the GTX thats why a bought a GTS and didnt bother to listen to the Radeon will blow it away dont buy a 8800 your wasting your money brigade. It even looks like a GTS.

oweneades · 14 May 2007 at 21:07

SE-Lain said:
Erm...regarding the OP; why are your results completely different to the vast majority of the reviews out there? Why is your card supposedly "silent" when everyone else has pointed out the noise, heat and wattage issues? How is it possible that your XT is quieter than the GTX when every review states the complete opposite?

I think any competent human being can discern the truth for themselves. It doesn't take a genius to point out that the OP reads like a glorifying press release. The sad thing is that there are actually people in this forum stupid enough to ignore the consensus of credible hardware reviewers and instead, out of all the people you could trust in this world, idolise the words of a salesman.

el oh el.

Its amazing how many people don't actually read the opening post.

How many times does Gibbo have to point out that he just tested the cards as they were, using the drivers available at the time. (he also pointed out that he is aware that since doing his initial review that newer drivers have been released)

He also stated don't buy the card just because of his review.

NickK · 14 May 2007 at 21:13

IceShock said:
your joking!??

holey moley

2009 - hmm sounds like the XBox360 replacement..

raja · 14 May 2007 at 21:20

onetimeposter said:
Here are my issues with the OP -

1. These cards are not quiet, even in a case with several fans, once the RD600 cards spin up (Solitaire will do it by the way) they are loud. I have been testing the cards since March so here are the CrossFire Results with the original ATI OEM samples and retail cards from MSI.

OEM - CrossFire

Idle - 46.7 dBA
Load - 64.3 dBA

MSI - CrossFire

Idle - 43.4 dBA
Load - 59.6 dBA

If the original user had early samples as I did, then there is no way one could consider the card to be quiet under load. One of the biggest complaints from the initial lots revolved around sound. The retail cards are a little better in that regard but are still louder than anything in most cases today. When the fans on the cards spin up, you also have vibration issues.

2. Vista Drivers -
The 8.36 drivers were not stable by a long shot and performance was worse in most cases than the NVIDIA cards with early drivers. The 8.37.3 drivers have improved, at least to the point that most games will run without locking now and tearing is no longer an issue in games such as Q4 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. . However, you have to run a patch .dll file in order to get accurate results in Vista with 3D05/3D06/PCM05 and most games still do not like AA/AF settings. You also need to add the statement -nosysteminfo in order to get the FutureMark benchmarks to even start under 64 bit. To even consider this card to be stable and well performing under Vista with the 8.36 drivers is a joke.

I have heard this too from a reliable source, use your noggin folks, the guy speaks the truth....

I certainly ain't a fanboy, since I am buying some for benching, when the 1gb version is finally sorted that is...

regards
Raja

z0mbi3 · 14 May 2007 at 21:22

oweneades said:
Its amazing how many people don't actually read the opening post.

How many times does Gibbo have to point out that he just tested the cards as they were, using the drivers available at the time. (he also pointed out that he is aware that since doing his initial review that newer drivers have been released)

He also stated don't buy the card just because of his review.

edit:

Scratch that, anyone who posted in this thread being arsey without reading the OP properly is an idiot.

raja · 14 May 2007 at 21:27

sometimes one needs to read between lines...

well you guys will have the cards soon enough and I'm sure you will post back your noise levels won't you??

onetimeposter · 14 May 2007 at 21:33

Squakingcow said:
Ok, at what distance did you measure the dba? Your results are useless without that. You give no comparison bettween this card and others (eg. gtx).
So in basic, your results are fairly unreliable

I measured at 12" for those results on an open test bed, room dBA was at 27. I will list comparisons against other cards later tonight but the fact remains that the RD600 is not a quiet card as originally stated in this post. Also, I will provide a couple of results in a closed case but realize that when measuring from the rear of the card it is significantly louder.

Final8y · 14 May 2007 at 21:35

Sapphire are working on a 1GB version

IceShock · 14 May 2007 at 21:38

Final8y said:
Sapphire are working on a 1GB version

any idea when it will be complete?

onetimeposter · 14 May 2007 at 21:52

LLBDTiberio said:
Sorry, but I don't believe you, give me screenshots of the measurements and I will accept it, but right now you sound like a fanboy who just wants to discredit.

Pic

This was a quick shot at nine inches away, hand held instead of on the tripod used for the original testing, just to give a rough idea of the noise levels while running a Company of Heroes test. The CPU is passively cooled during the test with only a 22dBA 120mm Sanyo fan running above it for additional cooling to the area. The power supply used for this test generally has a noise floor of 37dBA (which is not quiet) under full load which is still below the noise level of the cards. The room noise level is at a 27dBA as measured with a B&K 2205 sound level meter that was also used in the original measurements, this quick test used a CEM DT-805 which is still accurate for this test. I am far from a fanboy, just trying to provide some additional facts, not some fantasy thoughts about this card being quiet and having great Vista drivers a month ago.

IceShock · 14 May 2007 at 21:54

onetimeposter said:
Pic

This was a quick shot at nine inches away, hand held instead of on the tripod used for the original testing, just to give a rough idea of the noise levels while running a Company of Heroes test. The CPU is passively cooled during the test with only a 22dBA 120mm Sanyo fan running above it for cooling. The power supply used for this test generally has a noise floor of 37dBA (which is not quiet) under full load which is still below the noise level of the cards. The room noise level is at a 27dBA as measured with a B&K 2205 sound level meter that was also used in the original measurements. I am far from a fanboy, just trying to provide some additional facts, not some fantasy thoughts about this card being quiet and having great Vista drivers a month ago.

i see theres 8 pin addapters there plugged into them cards, are they supplyed with msi cards or are they from a power supply unit?

thanks

Edit: oooo!! my 999th post

onetimeposter · 14 May 2007 at 21:57

IceShock said:
i see theres 8 pin addapters there plugged into them cards, are they supplyed with msi cards or are they from a power supply unit?

thanks

Edit: oooo!! my 999th post

They are supplied with the retail MSI kits.

IceShock · 14 May 2007 at 21:58

onetimeposter said:
They are supplied with the retail MSI kits.

ok thanks mate :cool:

my 1000th post

!