SAPPHIRE RX 480 NITRO NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER AT OVERCLOCKERS UK (WORLD FIRST) !!!

Minstadave · 3 Jul 2016 at 13:22

drunkenmaster said:
That might be the dumbest possible explanation or actual design of a card yet. He bangs on about how they put holes in the PCB to let air be pushed through the heatsink and straight out to pcb, in a straight line in effect, to reduce the pressure.

Now the major problem with that is one there won't be large holes so it would be nearly pointless anyway as the majority of the air will be turbulent and being pushed sideways anyway. Second, and the biggest problem, they stuck a giant backplate onto the back of the pcb. So if there are holes in the PCB, they are all but covered on the back, what great design. Then if they are worried about reducing air pressure and giving it somewhere to escape, why have they covered up the entire length of the card on one edge with shrouding with one tiny hole in it. That will do nothing but slow down the airflow.

It doesn't look like a particularly bad card, but why make a more complex pcb that has holes put in it, it costs more money, and they serve basically no purpose even if you didn't cover them up on the other side... but you did.

The backplate has got vents in it, so it's not entirely daft.

Orangey · 3 Jul 2016 at 16:19

Has any other AIB confirmed custom PCBs?

Troezar · 3 Jul 2016 at 16:59

Orangey said:
Has any other AIB confirmed custom PCBs?

I suspect now Sapphire are getting this attention the rest will follow up very quickly

humbug · 3 Jul 2016 at 17:01

drunkenmaster said:
That might be the dumbest possible explanation or actual design of a card yet. He bangs on about how they put holes in the PCB to let air be pushed through the heatsink and straight out to pcb, in a straight line in effect, to reduce the pressure.

Now the major problem with that is one there won't be large holes so it would be nearly pointless anyway as the majority of the air will be turbulent and being pushed sideways anyway. Second, and the biggest problem, they stuck a giant backplate onto the back of the pcb. So if there are holes in the PCB, they are all but covered on the back, what great design. Then if they are worried about reducing air pressure and giving it somewhere to escape, why have they covered up the entire length of the card on one edge with shrouding with one tiny hole in it. That will do nothing but slow down the airflow.

It doesn't look like a particularly bad card, but why make a more complex pcb that has holes put in it, it costs more money, and they serve basically no purpose even if you didn't cover them up on the other side... but you did.

Sapphire Ed also talks about 80% of RMA's are because of noisy deteriorated fans, so they come up with this removable fan design, what they will do is send you new fans if they go bad, Sapphire TRixx will have a feature that will test the fans against what they should be performing at so you will know if the fans are bad.

Oh, and the PCB is custom.

I'm liking this

Troezar · 3 Jul 2016 at 17:16

humbug said:
Sapphire Ed also talks about 80% of RMA's are because of noisy deteriorated fans, so they come up with this removable fan design, what they will do is send you new fans if they go bad, Sapphire TRixx will have a feature that will test the fans against what they should be performing at so you will know if the fans are bad.

Oh, and the PCB is custom.

I'm liking this

Yes sounds really well thought out and win win. I'm really interested to see what these AIB 480s can do. Think this will tide me over until Vega as I only game at 60Hz at 1440p.

RavenXXX2 · 3 Jul 2016 at 17:22

**** temps, when a card looks this good all can be forgiven, the best looking card I have ever seen from side on IMO. Why don't sapphire do Nvidia cards? that would be epic.

SkeeterUK · 3 Jul 2016 at 17:28

Its strange isnt it, when the leaked silver version came up people were like omg that is the worst looking card ever its like a old radio or somit. Then they just colored it black and now its like omg its the best looking card. lmao people crack me up.

Nice about the fans tho. I wonder if they allow for better performing fans to be swapped in if people wana pay for them or are they only gona do like for like. I mean if they sold higher spec fans would ppl buy em and put em in i wonder.

I still have my doubts about any aib card reaching past 1400 well erm some will but anything er past 1450 i have my doubts about.

Troezar · 3 Jul 2016 at 17:31

RavenXXX2 said:
**** temps, when a card looks this good all can be forgiven, the best looking card I have ever seen from side on IMO. Why don't sapphire do Nvidia cards? that would be epic.

Sapphire seem to be AMD's EVGA. I was a bit sad EVGA didn't do AMD cards but looking at this Nitro I'm really warming to Sapphire. Nice not to have all the gaudy colours some cards do, the Blackpool Editions as I like to call them

Zhuni · 3 Jul 2016 at 17:34

Sapphire have always been my first choice for amd. Vapour card were so well made.

Orangey · 3 Jul 2016 at 17:34

Will this finally kill the black n red hegemony?

SkeeterUK said:
Its strange isnt it, when the leaked silver version came up people were like omg that is the worst looking card ever its like a old radio or somit. Then they just colored it black and now its like omg its the best looking card. lmao people crack me up.

Uhh they never showed the back before. People only really care about the back unless they have a non-standard chassis designed to showcase the front instead.

Meaker · 3 Jul 2016 at 17:38

SkeeterUK said:
Its strange isnt it, when the leaked silver version came up people were like omg that is the worst looking card ever its like a old radio or somit. Then they just colored it black and now its like omg its the best looking card. lmao people crack me up.

Nice about the fans tho. I wonder if they allow for better performing fans to be swapped in if people wana pay for them or are they only gona do like for like. I mean if they sold higher spec fans would ppl buy em and put em in i wonder.

I still have my doubts about any aib card reaching past 1400 well erm some will but anything er past 1450 i have my doubts about.

Colour is very important to looks, a car can look nice in red but awful in hot pink.

humbug · 3 Jul 2016 at 17:59

SkeeterUK said:
Its strange isnt it, when the leaked silver version came up people were like omg that is the worst looking card ever its like a old radio or somit. Then they just colored it black and now its like omg its the best looking card. lmao people crack me up.

Nice about the fans tho. I wonder if they allow for better performing fans to be swapped in if people wana pay for them or are they only gona do like for like. I mean if they sold higher spec fans would ppl buy em and put em in i wonder.

I still have my doubts about any aib card reaching past 1400 well erm some will but anything er past 1450 i have my doubts about.

I was one of them.

The silvery white with those dots did make it looks like a shower head but in matt black it looks completely different, its a good looking card as it is now.

motiv · 3 Jul 2016 at 18:06

I suppose the question will be...
Can they hit 1400/2200.

Hopefully the new PCB, better cooling and 8 pin will make it whizz along.

Darujhistan · 3 Jul 2016 at 18:11

Zhuni said:
Sapphire have always been my first choice for amd. Vapour card were so well made.

Sapphire have made the best cards i've ever had.

Poneros · 3 Jul 2016 at 18:19

For Sapphire to be AMD's EVGA they would have to have good RMA process & decent warranty. They are AMD-exclusive, sure, but so is PowerColor, so why aren't the latter AMD's EVGA? Again, same reasons. They both make good cards, don't get me wrong, but that's not why EVGA is EVGA..

Jono8 · 3 Jul 2016 at 18:21

Why can't they make a 1070 that looks like this

old gamer · 3 Jul 2016 at 18:22

motiv said:
I suppose the question will be...
Can they hit 1400/2200.

Hopefully the new PCB, better cooling and 8 pin will make it whizz along.

Powercolor claim the devil 480 will clock upwards from 1400 bu this could mean anything from 1401 to 1600

TheMorningStar · 3 Jul 2016 at 18:37

Low fan noise is probably my highest priority these days, they have the 3 DP ports I need, The DVI isn't something I need, nice to have I suppose but would have been happier with better venting personally.

Overclocking on this card will be interesting to look at. I don't really bother for 24/7, but I like a play now and again. I can maybe just not bother with that at all but I can afford to wait until all the other AIB arrive.

I am driving 144hz 1440p Eyefinity (in some instances) so Vega crossfire may be better for me but I'm kinda tempted to get 2 of these. It looks like a really nice card. I'm higher than 4k though, 4K@ 8,294,400 pixels vs 1440p Eyefinity@ 11,059,200 pixels but I don't plan to use it in many games, ha!

Aretak · 3 Jul 2016 at 19:09

Poneros said:
For Sapphire to be AMD's EVGA they would have to have good RMA process & decent warranty. They are AMD-exclusive, sure, but so is PowerColor, so why aren't the latter AMD's EVGA? Again, same reasons. They both make good cards, don't get me wrong, but that's not why EVGA is EVGA..

They seem to have improved their warranty starting with this card. All their previous cards only had a two year warranty, whilst this has three. PowerColor make okay cards, but they're some way off Sapphire's overall quality IMO. I'd even put them behind XFX, another AMD-exclusive partner.

Zhuni · 3 Jul 2016 at 20:07

Power colour are alright but as above quality is just not as good as sapphire last few cards. Sapphire were always decent but in the last few years they've really taken another step up.

Anyway decide to put an order in. Can always cancel if the 1060 is good.