Monday, June 15th 2009

AMD Readying Radeon HD 4790 Based on RV790

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.
Source: IT168
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45 Comments on AMD Readying Radeon HD 4790 Based on RV790

#26
Nick89
this will be perfect for my friends build!

Aw wait its not 40nm? :(
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#27
tvdang7
ati is trying to beat nvidia's 8800 line up lol:laugh:
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#28
LittleLizard
IS THAT NO ONE SEE THE POTENTIAL ON THESE CARD? If it has the same pcb as a 4890, uses the same chip and runs at 600 = You can oc the hell out of them to 850mhz without trouble and to 1000 with volt mod!.
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#29
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
KainXSnaa i was tryin to say about 20 altogether but forgot to put it in a understandable manner:laugh:

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
ATi will be replacing the HD4830, however it is still in productions, AFAIK.

And the HD4850x2 was an official ATi SKU, them providing utter crap support is another discussion all together. I guess we should drop the HD4670 since it has pretty terrible support also, I mean it took them over 3 months after the HD4670's release to get a driver out for it...
LittleLizardIS THAT NO ONE SEE THE POTENTIAL ON THESE CARD? If it has the same pcb as a 4890, uses the same chip and runs at 600 = You can oc the hell out of them to 850mhz without trouble and to 1000 with volt mod!.
These are going to be binned RV790s, 800MHz might be possible, maybe 850MHz with lots of voltage, but you aren't going to see 1000MHz. Most don't even see 1000MHz on the good cores that actually make it into HD4890s.
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#30
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
so the 4790, is it proving to outperform the 4830 and perhaps the 4850?
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#31
From_Nowhere
Yes the 4790 is going to outperform the 4830, and the 4850 if the 4790 is overclocked slightly (if it needs it). The HD 4770 already outperforms the 4830 and offers near 4850 performance at stock clocks.

Unfortunately I'm guessing the overclocking headroom on these slower RV790 chips is going to be limited, but I think 4870 level frequency/performance is possible.
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#32
enaher
mmm... there must be a lot of 790 cores under Ati's bed or the de 5000 are really near:), well the card makes no sense to me but hey priced right might be a good thing.
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#33
Pyeti
i wonder if these would crossfire with a 4830?
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#34
Scrizz
lame, who wants to buy my 4850s
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#35
swaaye
I think NV and ATI do this to keep mind share rolling by reminding you they exist every month or so with a "new" release. It has been like this since the X800/6800 eras. Getting worse and worse with each new generation though. They seem to be scared to death about being seen as "stale" or some such. They compete with each other with these goofy releases.

Regardless of what their little PR guy figureheads spout out, it's obvious that neither company gives a shit about not confusing the marketplace.

NVIDIA is way worse in the notebook market though. They really screw with your head with regards to what the model numbers mean there compared to desktop and they keep dumping out new models there too.
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#36
tkpenalty
I'm utterly confused by AMD's current lineup... they've realised how effective swamping the market is because a lot of the less knowlegeable consumers will be more likely to buy.
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#37
Drac
i was going to buy it because i thought it was new and it had 40 nm but now i see its 55nm and its a bad copy of 4890, bah
Posted on Reply
#38
jessicafae
I am guessing that the 47xx series was supposed to be the 40nm shrink of the 48xx series requiring lower power and generating less heat (like the 46xx is the shrink of the 38xx series). The 4770 is this. But according to the rumors/news TSMC is having issues with yields at 40nm. This might mean that AMD/ATI might start with 55nm parts for this SKU and then replace the 55nm part with the 40nm part later (like Nvidia has done in the past with many products shipping with either 65nm or 55nm chips - I have a GTS250 with a 65nm chip for example). It does make it confusing, but lets hope it is a 40nm shrink of the RV790.

But according to the original chinese article
publish.it168.com/2009/0611/20090611067001.shtml
The 4790 is going to be 800 shaders, probably core clock of 625-650mhz, 256bit GDDR5 512MB memory and priced at 800-900 yuan ($117-$130). It is going to be priced just below the 4870 (1000yuan $150) and be just a bit slower. It should replace the 512MB 4870 (just like the 4770 is designed to replace the 4830 and 4850, and like the 46xx series replaced the 38xx series).

This will be a great product (even if it is still using the 55nm RV790 chip). I hope we get official news on this soon, and I hope they can get enough out to customers.
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#39
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
jessicafaeI am guessing that the 47xx series was supposed to be the 40nm shrink of the 48xx series requiring lower power and generating less heat (like the 46xx is the shrink of the 38xx series). The 4770 is this. But according to the rumors/news TSMC is having issues with yields at 40nm. This might mean that AMD/ATI might start with 55nm parts for this SKU and then replace the 55nm part with the 40nm part later (like Nvidia has done in the past with many products shipping with either 65nm or 55nm chips - I have a GTS250 with a 65nm chip for example). It does make it confusing, but lets hope it is a 40nm shrink of the RV790.

But according to the original chinese article
publish.it168.com/2009/0611/20090611067001.shtml
The 4790 is going to be 800 shaders, probably core clock of 625-650mhz, 256bit GDDR5 512MB memory and priced at 800-900 yuan ($117-$130). It is going to be priced just below the 4870 (1000yuan $150) and be just a bit slower. It should replace the 512MB 4870 (just like the 4770 is designed to replace the 4830 and 4850, and like the 46xx series replaced the 38xx series).

This will be a great product (even if it is still using the 55nm RV790 chip). I hope we get official news on this soon, and I hope they can get enough out to customers.
I believe you are correct, however I think ATi has done it in a far sloppier way than nVidia has. Causing confusion over Crossfire support, and performance based on the model numbers. They should have just left the current line-up the way it was, and waited for the 40nm supply to be sufficient enough to release these SKUs properly.

And I guarantee you don't have a 65nm GTS250.
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#40
jessicafae
newtekie1I believe you are correct, however I think ATi has done it in a far sloppier way than nVidia has. Causing confusion over Crossfire support, and performance based on the model numbers. They should have just left the current line-up the way it was, and waited for the 40nm supply to be sufficient enough to release these SKUs properly.
I agree with you completely. They should just keep dropping the prices on the 48xx series rather than create these premature 47xx SKUs.
And I guarantee you don't have a 65nm GTS250.
I don't really want to clutter this 4790 thread, but according to GPU-Z I do have a 65nm GTS250. I have a Sparkle 512MB GTS250. I guess GPU-Z could be reporting incorrectly...

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#41
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
jessicafaeI don't really want to clutter this 4790 thread, but according to GPU-Z I do have a 65nm GTS250. I have a Sparkle 512MB GTS250. I guess GPU-Z could be reporting incorrectly...

i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz195/jessica_fae/gpuz-grab.png
It is, there are several threads on the issue floating around the forums. Here is just one.

Software can not tell the difference between the 65nm and 55nm core, due to nVidia not changing the GPUID code when they made the new revision. So the only way to know for sure is to take the heatsink off and look for yourself.
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#42
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
look at die size, transistor count and if there are any SP count.
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#43
tastegw
if this card costs less than $110, then it would be a nice deal.

but its a shame its not 40nm.
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#44
Flyordie
jessicafaeI agree with you completely. They should just keep dropping the prices on the 48xx series rather than create these premature 47xx SKUs.



I don't really want to clutter this 4790 thread, but according to GPU-Z I do have a 65nm GTS250. I have a Sparkle 512MB GTS250. I guess GPU-Z could be reporting incorrectly...

i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz195/jessica_fae/gpuz-grab.png
A girl who likes somewhat powerful hardware... hmmmmm rare sight indeed. :toast:
In the meantime- You more than likely have the A2 version (I think thats the # for the 55nm one) anyway... Enjoy the card Jessica.
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#45
SonDa5
tastegwif this card costs less than $110, then it would be a nice deal.
I agree. This is where this card needs to be to make it a winner.
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