AMD Radeon HD 7970 Video Card Review @ [H]

Let the gouging being. If retailers are already starting at $50 over MSRP, I'm afraid to see where this ends up when supplies from the initial shipment dries up.

I dont think Frys is a great example of MSRP prices. Their videocards are always higher priced than MSRP. So I think $550 at newegg/amazon may still be the possible price
 
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I dont think Frys is a great example of MSRP prices. Their videocards are always higher priced than MSRP. So I think $550 at newegg/amazon may still be the possible price

Yea frys isn't exactly the poster boy of msrp.
 
I didn't read the entire thread but you guys didn't have a reference GTX580 for comparison? I know alot of people skim over the review and miss important details like the fact you used an overclocked GTX580 and think the GTX580 is more competetive than it really is. Fact is the overclocked GTX580 in the review is $50 more than the 7970 while being significantly slower. Nice job AMD, Nvidia has their work cut out for them.
 
Any guess if the Universal GPU Water Block will fit this? Any measurements of socket holes?
 
This thing overclocks like a monster, more later...

Yeah, that seems to be the consensus. Do you think the clocks were kept low to help with yields? It almost seems that AMD was too conservative with the stock clocks, but with this kind of headroom is also gives the partners a lot of ways to differentiate the product. I would imagine there will be a lot of 7970 parts with very high clocks and much higher price tags than $550.
 
Yeah, that seems to be the consensus. Do you think the clocks were kept low to help with yields? It almost seems that AMD was too conservative with the stock clocks, but with this kind of headroom is also gives the partners a lot of ways to differentiate the product. I would imagine there will be a lot of 7970 parts with very high clocks and much higher price tags than $550.

Not sure what the point to keeping the clocks so far down was. In my opinion it would be to keep the power numbers down, so they can say they released a product that follows their line of thinking (at least in the past few generations). Low power, high performance, won't break your PSU.

Honestly its a good thing to release them with such low power needed, leave the [H] with mega PSU's to OC them, give them to the populace with out requiring much of an upgrade to utilize them.
 
Yeah, that seems to be the consensus. Do you think the clocks were kept low to help with yields? It almost seems that AMD was too conservative with the stock clocks, but with this kind of headroom is also gives the partners a lot of ways to differentiate the product. I would imagine there will be a lot of 7970 parts with very high clocks and much higher price tags than $550.

Out of the 18 cards listed at Newegg in the $500-$750 category, 16 of 18 are nVidia based cards. I see nothing wrong with asking a fair price for an OEM-offered, highly overclocked card that carries the same warranty as a stock card. I'll take two, please. :D
 
I'm confident AMD released this with low clocks and disabled parts on the GPU on purpose. Yeilds possibly but from the looks of it after production matures I'm sure they could easily release a fully operational core at 1100Mhz and call it a day whenever nvidia releases 780.

Sorta like intel releasing chips at such a low speed compared to what they are capable of. If AMD ever releases a SuperDozer they can just up it to 40x and crush it.
 
That's great news, hopefully this will keep the gouging from stopping or at least minimize the gouging. I don't expect a price cut without any major competition for the crown yet.
 
You're getting blue balls over this? Really? ;)

Naw not really, I was just poking fun, however

I will say that I would get blue balls if brent said...

I am working on a crossfire eyefinity reveiw with overclocking #s where we push the cards to the max we can get it on air with software voltage boost and post performance #s on 15 of the newest and most popular games

That would give me BB
 
NEED MORE!!

Can't wait to see what they can do in BF3 eyefinity oc'ed to the hilt.
 
As I understand it, you can split a DP port into two DVI or HDMI ports. So has anyone tried 5-monitor gaming on the 7970? You'd probably need two crossfired.
 
As I understand it, you can split a DP port into two DVI or HDMI ports. So has anyone tried 5-monitor gaming on the 7970? You'd probably need two crossfired.

I saw a while back (during the launch of the HD5K series) a few concept DP to dual single link DVI and DP to dual HDMI adapters, but I can't seem to find any now.
 
So as far as performance what's better?

1x7970 vs 2x6970
and
1x7970 vs 1x6970+1x6950

Just wondering if I should upgrade or pick up a 2nd card and be done with it. Or should I just wait and see what kind of OC'd cards they come out with? hrmmmmm
 
So as far as performance what's better?

Well, let's see.

1x7970 vs 2x6970

From what I can tell from poking around.

At stock clocks the 6970 SLI is faster in the vast majority of games.

Overclocked, the 7970 is almost as fast as two 6970's in SLI. As has been said, it appears to overclock like mad.

and
1x7970 vs 1x6970+1x6950

I have no experience with asynchronous CFX, so I can't speak to this.

Just wondering if I should upgrade or pick up a 2nd card and be done with it. Or should I just wait and see what kind of OC'd cards they come out with? hrmmmmm

No one can make that decision for you.

Personally my plan is to sell my two 6970's with one 7970 and overclock it, losing only a few percent of performance, and then saving up for a second 7970.

I won't be doing this right away though. If Nvidia pulls a surprise in the short term (which I doubt) I may wind up trying them instead.
 
So as far as performance what's better?

1x7970 vs 2x6970
and
1x7970 vs 1x6970+1x6950

In practical matter a 7970 is the best option vs crossfire.
any diffference in fps is at best not noticeable.
 
Very impressed with AMD graphics division. They are not only bringing the new gen to the table way before Nvidia but also adding new features. They have some smart guys working for them. I wouldn't be surprised if someday soon they pass nvidia in sales.
happy.gif

+1 And if they can come thru with improving on their drivers now, AMD cards will be damn impressive going forward.
 
Good LORD if this had Physx support.....:(

I want to give away my 6870 and go back to my geforce 295 because of the comparison videos with physx on Batman Arkham City.
 
Good LORD if this had Physx support.....:(

I want to give away my 6870 and go back to my geforce 295 because of the comparison videos with physx on Batman Arkham City.

Just wait for Nvidia's next card. ;) Hopefully, Nvidia announces something at CES - I'd really like to see how they counter 7970.
 
Blame nVidia for that one, but who seriously cares about physx? Akham city is the first game in 5 years of it's existence that you could argue has shown some worth.
 
Blame nVidia for that one, but who seriously cares about physx? Akham city is the first game in 5 years of it's existence that you could argue has shown some worth.

and even then, it's only a few hours long
it's not a game you commit to like skyrim, etc.
 
Good LORD if this had Physx support.....:(

I want to give away my 6870 and go back to my geforce 295 because of the comparison videos with physx on Batman Arkham City.

Meh, PhysX is pretty much dead after this generation of game engines anyway, now that we have OpenCompute.
 
over 40 of those are running around getting collectibles
i know... cause i've found them all on my PS3 haha

i don't call that a 50-hour game
well that's you but most people that play the game will get a ton of hours out of it. I have 40 hours and there are still lots of riddles and trophies left. plus I have not even played any of the challenge maps.
 
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