AMD is preparing yet another performance-mainstream Radeon HD 4000 series SKU. The Radeon HD 4790 finds lineage from the Radeon HD 4890, currently AMD's fastest GPU. The RV790 GPU will be given a new set of specifications and memory configuration, to yield an SKU that performs better than the Radeon HD 4770, and slightly better than HD 4850. It beats us as to why it is positioned in the HD 4700 series, and not say "Radeon HD 4860", but we are too late to comment on that.
Specifications-wise, the RV790 core runs at 600 MHz, slightly lower than the RV770 in Radeon HD 4850 (625 MHz), but its performance increment over it comes from the use of GDDR5 memory. The GPU makes use of a 256-bit wide GDDR5 memory interface. It handles 512 MB of memory clocked at 800 MHz (3200 MHz effective). Being based on the RV790, it is pin-compatible with any existing HD 4890 PCB. Price-wise, it is expected to sit between the HD 4850 and HD 4870.
45 Comments on AMD Readying Radeon HD 4790 Based on RV790
is it xfireable with a 4890? :wtf:
While it might still be a good card and a good price/performance ratio, it isnt a step forward, just yet another SKU-confusion to price gouge in the retail channels where the typical consumer doesnt know sh1t.
its just a 4890 with a low core clock thats it
as a matter of fact that card is exactly the same as the Powercolor HD4890 from the looks, the PCB even has the same model number on it.
This card just adds more confusion to the mix. It seems to me like ATi wanted to use 40nm for the HD4770 series, but because they couldn't get enough 40nm chips, they have instead used their other higher end chips to make the cards. That doesn't make sense to me really, why not keep the RV790/770 chips named HD4800, and forget about HD4770.
We still don't even know what the HD4730 can be used with in Crossfire... Why not use those cores in the HD4870s then?
Its not that many cards I mean theres only gonna be 12 HD4XXX cards with this, but including nvidia's nearly 20 current cards now I still say not really
As for who has more cards in production:
ATi: 13 | nVidia: 11
HD4350 | 9300GS
HD4550 | 9400GT
HD4650 | 9500GT
HD4670 | 9600GT
HD4730 | 9600GSO
HD4770 | 9800GT
HD4790 | GTS250
HD4830 | GTX260 216
HD4850 | GTX275
HD4870 | GTX285
HD4890 | GTX295
HD4850x2 |
HD4870x2 |
I don't see where you are getting 20...
If some finds a way to oc it to 800+ i bet the stock's will be sold out...
9800GTX = No longer in production/replaced by 9800GTX+
9800GTX+ = Renamed to GTS 250
GTX260 = No longer in production/replaced by 55nm 216 shader GTX 260
GTX280 = No longer in production/replaced by GTX 285
sry for the confusing post
but I wouldn't include the 4830, or 4850x2 since ati is replacing the 4830 and they never truly supported the 4850x2 anyway