I want to replace my excellent 7850, but reading rebranding on most of the cards, idk?
I will be sticking with AMD/Sapphire gpu either way.

Well, I wouldn't the R380 cards a rebrand. The Tonga GPU inside the R9 285 is different from the chip inside the R280. The R9 285 is slightly faster overall than the R9 280 and is more power efficient. We'll have to see, but you know, a sub $300 card that's both faster and more power efficient than the 290x would be nice!

FrustratedGarrettThe Tonga GPU inside the R9 285 is different from the chip inside the R280. The R9 285 is slightly faster overall than the R9 280 and is more power efficient.

That would be a resounding NO.
Tonga is about the most inefficient chip AMD has launched in recent years. The fact that the only single GPU cards lower in performance-per-watt are voltage-hiked Tahiti's should be an indicator. The R9 280 is a straight up rebrand of the HD 7950 Boost with a miniscule 23MHz lower base clock.

Yes, but can it play Crysis ? (at 4K, 60FPS)

HumanSmokeThat would be a resounding NO.
Tonga is about the most inefficient chip AMD has launched in recent years. The fact that the only single GPU cards lower in performance-per-watt are voltage-hiked Tahiti's should be an indicator. The R9 280 is a straight up rebrand of the HD 7950 Boost with a miniscule 23MHz lower base clock.

You're worng! Here are the specs for ya:
techreport.com/review/26997/amd-radeon-r9-285-graphics-card-reviewed

Is it AMD that's saying that the 390x is the answer to Nvidia's Titan X?

I hope they plan on releasing this lineup close to Computex as well, though I have a feeling they'll launch in fall sometime.. Bummer.

erockerIs it AMD that's saying that the 390x is the answer to Nvidia's Titan X?

I think AMD's only official word is that it will launch in the first week of June (at Computex).

FrustratedGarrettYou're worng! Here are the specs for ya:
techreport.com/review/26997/amd-radeon-r9-285-graphics-card-reviewed

HumanSmokeThat would be a resounding NO.
Tonga is about the most inefficient chip AMD has launched in recent years. The fact that the only single GPU cards lower in performance-per-watt are voltage-hiked Tahiti's should be an indicator. The R9 280 is a straight up rebrand of the HD 7950 Boost with a miniscule 23MHz lower base clock.

FrustratedGarrettR280. The R9 285 is slightly faster overall than the R9 280 and is more power efficient

Total comprehension fail of your own argument or deliberate trolling?
You stated that the 285 is more power efficient than the 280. Wrong. The 280 doesn't appear on the graph so I pointed out that the 7950 listed is the same card.
The R9 280 is a rebranded HD 7950 Boost.
R9 280...................: 827 MHz core - 933 MHz Boost - 5000MHz memory effective. GPU: Tahiti PRO. 32 ROP - 112 TMU - 1792 Core - 28 CU
HD 7950 Boost: 850 MHz core - 925 MHz Boost - 5000MHz memory effective. GPU: Tahiti PRO. 32 ROP - 112 TMU - 1792 Core - 28 CU

Now, to be fair HumanSmoke and FrustratedGarrett I'm going to try and take some fun out of this and point out that we really haven't seen a good tonga. The only ones we've seen are the failed 295mx's that will obviously suck power. I'm not saying the 285 was good or bad, but either way it was not tonga to it's full potential.

I hope we see the 980Ti by then.

hardcore_gamerYes, but can it play Crysis ? (at 4K, 60FPS)

There's just no pleasing you gamers. Give them a GPU that can play Crysis and they just want more. I want more too. More is good. :)

bubbleawsomeNow, to be fair HumanSmoke and FrustratedGarrett I'm going to try and take some fun out of this and point out that we really haven't seen a good tonga. The only ones we've seen are the failed 295mx's that will obviously suck power. I'm not saying the 285 was good or bad, but either way it was not tonga to it's full potential.

No dispute there. It is safe to assume that Tonga, and any other revised silicon should offer some improvements, but the original contention was a single SKU ( R9 285) rather than efficiency of Tonga as a whole. The other point to consider is that if Tonga could offer a sizeable increase in performance per watt, why did AMD hamstring themselves by just releasing an underperforming R9 285 and a monumentally poor M295X that OEMs have avoided in droves to the point where it is offered in only two laptop models (Alienware 15) - and one of those isn't standard, and a less than stellar reputation for Apple? I'm pretty sure that having Nvidia destroy AMD's discrete mobile market share with the 965M/970M/980M wasn't planned.
If Tonga (PRO?) is die-fuzed then that begs a few questions. 1. Why was the full die not used, surely yields can't be that bad for a mid-range GPU?, 2. What are the chances that Apple accepts a salvage part as their top desktop graphics solution if a fully functioning part is available? 3. When has a salvage GPU (excepting the occasional ugly second tier salvage parts such as Cypress LE) demonstrated significantly worse performance-per-watt than the full die? ( GK 106 full die GTX 660 isn't significantly better than the GTX 650 Ti, GK 104's second salvage GTX 660 Ti has the same efficiency as the GTX 680, and AMD's own 256-bit Tahiti LE offers much the same efficiency as the 384-bit versionsbearing in mind the clock difference)

Whatever happens, I'm really excited about the release of cards from both teams at around the same time. I just hope AMD and Nvidia don't fuck us over and release overpriced cards to the market.

We need a healthy AMD to keep Nvidia in check, otherwise we would have $1500 or more expensive video cards only from the green team. If the 390X is fast enough to be a real contender to Titan-X, I'm positive an affordable, GM200 based 980Ti or even 1K series card will be released by Nvidia to counter that threat.

4K gaming on a single GPU? seems like we are headed that way regardless, what an exciting time to be a PC gamer! :rockout:

Hopefully the HBM on the 390/X pans out well and gives the card a significant boost. I am very interested in that more than anything on the card because it could be very sweet with that much bandwidth and that many Stream processors. Not a bad combination though I am now upset they are waiting so long for even releasing SOMETHING.

It's getting too late. Might as well not even bother releasing it lol.

TheGuruStudIt's getting too late. Might as well not even bother releasing it lol.

What? If this is anywhere near GM200 performance for about $500-600 it'll be amazing. Just because it's late to the party doesn't mean it's useless.

bubbleawsomeWhat? If this is anywhere near GM200 performance for about $500-600 it'll be amazing. Just because it's late to the party doesn't mean it's useless.

It's useless to 10s of thousands (100? idk sales figures lol) that have already bought GTXs. AMD has lost a lot of money being this late, again.

FrustratedGarrettWell, I wouldn't the R380 cards a rebrand. The Tonga GPU inside the R9 285 is different from the chip inside the R280. The R9 285 is slightly faster overall than the R9 280 and is more power efficient. We'll have to see, but you know, a sub $300 card that's both faster and more power efficient than the 290x would be nice!

Well for longest time r9 280's TDP was 200watts, when 285 was released they said 280 was now 250watt TDP to make the 190watt TDP of 285 look much better. Even with that questionable change in TDP's 285 only 20 watts in a lot of reviewers tests.

GhostRyderHopefully the HBM on the 390/X pans out well and gives the card a significant boost. I am very interested in that more than anything on the card because it could be very sweet with that much bandwidth and that many Stream processors. Not a bad combination though I am now upset they are waiting so long for even releasing SOMETHING.

Well there is a thing as to much bandwidth. Don't need super huge pipe to get good performance outta a GPU, just need to use what you have efficiently.


If that rumored cooler is on this, would be worrisome that AMD is having to push card in to 350-400watt range. If that is the case it would indicated their future isn't look that great that they have to go to such power draw to remain competitive. I know some people won't care about draw, but a lot more people care then don't.

Very much looking forward to the release of the R9 390 series. Then I'll figure out which way I'll be going with my next gpu purchase(s).

Come on AMD, bring some goodness

bubbleawsomeWhat? If this is anywhere near GM200 performance for about $500-600 it'll be amazing. Just because it's late to the party doesn't mean it's useless.

Leaving aside the Titan X, which is only really significant as a PR device and an insight into how the Maxwell architecture scales*, both camps should be releasing comparable product at the same time (390/390X v 980 Ti and maybe either a second salvage part or a 8GB/8Gbps GTX 980)

* Which shouldn't be too much of a surprise. GTX 980 has twice the resources of a GTX 960 and pretty much doubles its performance. Probably safe to assume that adding exactly 50% again will result in the same 50% performance increase.

TheGuruStudIt's useless to 10s of thousands (100? idk sales figures lol) that have already bought GTXs. AMD has lost a lot of money being this late, again.

Another issue might be how deep AMD's price cuts go to shift current inventory. If they make the current crop attractive enough, a significant percentage of those that haven't bought Nvidia might well have blown their wad on 290/290X/295X2 by the time AMD roll out the new stuff.

hardcore_gamerYes, but can it play Crysis ? (at 4K, 60FPS)

It just might since the 390s are suppose to have the new HBM (or what ever it is) that makes memory bandwidth something like 600 GB/s which should be more then enough for 60fps @ 4k.

Not sure if the 380s are going to get it as well but sure hope the rumors are wrong that they will not.

mastrdrverIt just might since the 390s are suppose to have the new HBM (or what ever it is) that makes memory bandwidth something like 600 GB/s which should be more then enough for 60fps @ 4k.

Not sure if the 380s are going to get it as well but sure hope the rumors are wrong that they will not.

Its not all about memory bandwidth. Even with that doesn't mean it will be able to.

^ this, even with crazy high bandwith you need the horsepower behind it.
I don't see this gen doing 60fps @ 4K on single card setups.

Shh.. It's okay electricity bill.. Maybe AMD will stop hurting you..

I dont care about what R9 390X costs, I dont care how much electricity it uses.
I just want the POWER and see how the new type of ram works with that insane bandwith.

Now AMD put it up for sale, so we can move on otherwise I maight go for a crossfire setup of 2xR9 290 instead.

GLDI want to replace my excellent 7850, but reading rebranding on most of the cards, idk?
I will be sticking with AMD/Sapphire gpu either way.

AMD Radeon 300 Series Won’t Be A Rebrand, New GPUs Coming in June

Read more: wccftech.com/amd-r9-300-series-not-rebrands/#ixzz3TmOwvgRS