AMD Revising Radeon HD 6900 Series PCB

btarunr · Dec 31, 2010

AMD is planning a revised Radeon HD 6900 series reference-design PCB. It is reported that the delays which short-supply of TI-made driver-MOSFETs caused have been tided over with, giving AMD the opportunity to redesign the PCB to make use of the more cost-effective yet high-performance VRM circuitry. AMD is reported to have used expensive Volterra-made digital PWM chippery in a last-ditch effort to release the Radeon HD 6900 series in time for the X'mas shopping season, after TI-made VRM components couldn't make it to foundry-partners in time (which caused the launch delay in November, 2010). The redesigned PCB with its new TI-made driver-MOSFETs (DrMOS) could also present an opportunity for AMD to patch the Radeon HD 6950, making stream processor unlocking using BIOS flash impossible, notes the source. This development surfaced after water-cooling major Swiftech announced that it delayed the launch of its Radeon HD 6900 series full-coverage water block because AMD is revising its PCB design.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

shiny_red_cobra · Dec 31, 2010

I wonder if there will be any naming changes as a result of this change.

Loosenut · Dec 31, 2010

btarunr said:
The redesigned PCB with its new TI-made direct-MOSFETs (DrMOS) could also present an opportunity for AMD to patch the Radeon HD 6950, making stream processor unlocking using BIOS flashing impossible, notes the source.

I knew it was too good to last... :banghead:

btarunr · Dec 31, 2010

shiny_red_cobra said:
I wonder if there will be any naming changes as a result of this change.

No, it's totally a consumer-transparent change.

Swamp Monster · Dec 31, 2010

That is what I was hoping to hear (about Dr.Mos). At least current 6950 owners have option to unlock bios, or else they would be upset. On the other side new 6950 owners will probably have stronger VRM, but no Bios hack :ohwell:

.
Maybe power slider in CCC was only result of Volterra ninja-edit revision changes, that happened before christmas

jlewis02 · Dec 31, 2010

It might be better for clocking but it also means they will fix the bios flashable 6950s.

afw · Dec 31, 2010

Price drops ... ???

KainXS · Dec 31, 2010

usually after a release the price goes up T.T

Swamp Monster · Dec 31, 2010

btarunr said:
No, it's totally a consumer-transparent change.

In that case it can be a problem, because we will not be able to tell which is new version and which is old one

.

Neo4 · Dec 31, 2010

Loosenut said:
I knew it was too good to last...

Yeah, that's going to be a big problem after they start selling the new boards. :cry:

We will probably have a few more weeks (hopefully longer) before that happens. I now know what my next purchase is going to be for my Game Box.

FreedomEclipse · Dec 31, 2010

Oh well there goes the oppotunity to unlock it into a 6970

Drac · Dec 31, 2010

I think they will make much money doing this, people now will buy the 6950 before they release the new one.

LAN_deRf_HA · Jan 1, 2011

I always felt the mosfet thing was covering for some other issue. I don't mean to say I don't think it's an issue, just that it was taking the heat for something more embarrassing. If it turns out the new reference cards can't be unlocked... well nothing I guess, won't prove squat. Unless you're a conspiracy theorist, then it proves EVERYTHING.

btarunr · Jan 1, 2011

Swamp Monster said:
In that case it can be a problem, because we will not be able to tell which is new version and which is old one.

You can look at the back of the card. The PCB should look different.

blu3flannel · Jan 1, 2011

I knew this would happen, they did it with the GTX 465 as well. I think it's a bit humorous that they lose money on things that they thought would save them money.

DanishDevil · Jan 1, 2011

Good thing I already grabbed a 6950 for myself. This will be just like wanting reference 58x0 cards vs. non reference.

63jax · Jan 1, 2011

so, the actual 6900 series have a better build quality than those to follow. buy one fast!

hrvoje · Jan 1, 2011

With all that 69x0 circus I think I'll skip this series.
5850 co'ed to 5870 clocks will last till 7xx0 for me.

Scyphe · Jan 1, 2011

hrvoje said:
With all that 69x0 circus I think I'll skip this series.
5850 co'ed to 5870 clocks will last till 7xx0 for me.

The unlocked/original 6950'ies will go down in history as amazing bargains since most people basically buy 6970'ies for the price of 6950'ies.

Neo4 · Jan 1, 2011

Scyphe said:
The unlocked/original 6950'ies will go down in history as amazing bargains since most people basically buy 6970'ies for the price of 6950'ies.

Of all the Big Three, AMD still has the best bang for the buck. Man I want one of those cards!

Swamp Monster · Jan 1, 2011

63jax said:
so, the actual 6900 series have a better build quality than those to follow. buy one fast!

If Dr.Mos will run colder, then no. Only downside is bios unlocking, but we don't know for sure yet.

daggeronebravo · Jan 1, 2011

any word on when this revision will take place? I plan on buying all my parts for a build on jan 5 (for sandy bridge) and i plan on buying a 6950 and unlocking. Hopefully newegg will still have the original stock still

my_name_is_earl · Jan 1, 2011

Glad I got my hd6950 right after the unlocking news was out. It's like a x1800gto unlocking into an x1800XL. Good times.

siqueirah · Jan 1, 2011

For how long do you think the stocks of the older model will last? When do you think the new revision will be released?

Swamp Monster · Jan 1, 2011

If you planning to shop in jan 5, then there is good chance it will be old stock. I think when new revision cards will come out, btarunr will let us know

.

System Name	RBMK-1000
Processor	AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
Motherboard	ASUS ROG Strix B450-E Gaming
Cooling	DeepCool Gammax L240 V2
Memory	2x 8GB G.Skill Sniper X
Video Card(s)	Palit GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GameRock
Storage	Western Digital Black NVMe 512GB
Display(s)	BenQ 1440p 60 Hz 27-inch
Case	Corsair Carbide 100R
Audio Device(s)	ASUS SupremeFX S1220A
Power Supply	Cooler Master MWE Gold 650W
Mouse	ASUS ROG Strix Impact
Keyboard	Gamdias Hermes E2
Software	Windows 11 Pro

Processor	Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650
Motherboard	ASUS P5Q DELUXE
Cooling	Zalman CNPS9900A
Memory	8GB Mushkin DDR2-1066
Video Card(s)	Sapphire Radeon 4870 512MB
Storage	2x WD 500GB 32MB cache
Display(s)	Benq V2400W 24"
Case	Cooler Master 690
Audio Device(s)	Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi Fatal1ty
Power Supply	Cooler Master 550W
Software	Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Benchmark Scores	Benchmarking is for people with OCD.

System Name	Loose nuts & bolts
Processor	FX-8350 - EK Supreme HF full nickel
Motherboard	ASUS Sabertooth 990FX R2.0
Cooling	Water EK goodness all around 2xBlack Ice X-280
Memory	2 x8G HyperX Fury 1600 @ 9-9-9-24-1T
Video Card(s)	2 x XFX RX 480 w/EK-FC RX 480 nickel+Acetal
Storage	Samsung 850 Evo + 2xWD Black 500GB in RAID0
Display(s)	Crossover 27" 2560x1440 110Hz OC
Case	Cooler Master HAF XB EVO
Audio Device(s)	on board
Power Supply	Corsair HX850
Software	Win 10 Enterprise x64

System Name	RBMK-1000
Processor	AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
Motherboard	ASUS ROG Strix B450-E Gaming
Cooling	DeepCool Gammax L240 V2
Memory	2x 8GB G.Skill Sniper X
Video Card(s)	Palit GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GameRock
Storage	Western Digital Black NVMe 512GB
Display(s)	BenQ 1440p 60 Hz 27-inch
Case	Corsair Carbide 100R
Audio Device(s)	ASUS SupremeFX S1220A
Power Supply	Cooler Master MWE Gold 650W
Mouse	ASUS ROG Strix Impact
Keyboard	Gamdias Hermes E2
Software	Windows 11 Pro

System Name	Zen2600
Processor	Ryzen 2600
Motherboard	MSI B450-A Pro MAX
Cooling	Captain120EX
Memory	2x8 GB Patriot Viper Steel 360000 @3400MHz [18-19-19-39-80] DDR4
Video Card(s)	Sapphire RX5700XT Nitro+ @stock
Storage	WD Black 500GB NVME
Display(s)	LG 32GK850F
Case	NZXT H440 EnvyUS
Audio Device(s)	Custom HP AMP + Sennheiser HD380
Power Supply	Thermaltake Toughpower GF1 650w
Mouse	Logitech G502
Keyboard	ElE Game1
Software	Windows 10 Home 64-bit

AMD Revising Radeon HD 6900 Series PCB

btarunr

Editor & Senior Moderator

shiny_red_cobra

Loosenut

btarunr

Editor & Senior Moderator

Swamp Monster

jlewis02

afw

KainXS

Swamp Monster

Neo4

New Member

FreedomEclipse

~Technological Technocrat~

Drac

LAN_deRf_HA

btarunr

Editor & Senior Moderator

blu3flannel

DanishDevil

63jax

hrvoje

Scyphe

Neo4

New Member

Swamp Monster

daggeronebravo

New Member

my_name_is_earl

siqueirah

New Member

Swamp Monster

Processor	i9 10850k
Motherboard	Asus strix Z-490-e
Cooling	Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360
Memory	G.SKILL Trident Z 4000mhz
Video Card(s)	Asus STRIX RTX 3080
Storage	1tb Samsung 970 EVO,1tb hdd,750gb hdd
Display(s)	Asus 27" 144htz 1440
Case	Lian Li lancool 2 mesh
Audio Device(s)	Onboard
Power Supply	Seasonic GX-850
Mouse	Logitech G502 Hero
Keyboard	Logitech Pro

System Name	StealthX
Processor	Intel i7 2700k
Motherboard	Asus SABERTOOTH z77
Cooling	Prolimatech Genesis
Memory	CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB DDR3
Video Card(s)	ASUS GTX 960 2GB black edition
Storage	CORSAIR FORCE GT 120GB SSD + Samsung Spinpoint F3 (1TB + 2 x 500GB)
Display(s)	Acer G235H 23" (1920 x 1080)
Case	Silverstone Raven RV02
Audio Device(s)	OB
Power Supply	Seasonic x650 GOLD
Software	Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit

Processor	AMD Ryzen 9 5950x, Ryzen 9 5980HX
Motherboard	MSI X570 Tomahawk
Cooling	Be Quiet Dark Rock Pro 4(With Noctua Fans)
Memory	32Gb Crucial 3600 Ballistix
Video Card(s)	Gigabyte RTX 3080, Asus 6800M
Storage	Adata SX8200 1TB NVME/WD Black 1TB NVME
Display(s)	Dell 27 Inch 165Hz
Case	Phanteks P500A
Audio Device(s)	IFI Zen Dac/JDS Labs Atom+/SMSL Amp+Rivers Audio
Power Supply	Corsair RM850x
Mouse	Logitech G502 SE Hero
Keyboard	Corsair K70 RGB Mk.2
VR HMD	Samsung Odyssey Plus
Software	Windows 10

System Name	Game Box
Processor	AMD FX 8120
Motherboard	ASrock Fatal1ty 990FX Professional
Cooling	Zalman CMPS 9900 MAX (red LED)
Memory	Mushkin DDR3 1600 (1.35v)
Video Card(s)	Powercolor Radeon HD6970
Storage	Crucial RealSSD C300 (64X2 gig RAID 0) & Seagate 1 TB
Display(s)	ASUS 22" 1920x1080
Case	CoolerMaster Storm Enforcer
Audio Device(s)	Soundblaster X-Fi Gamer PCI
Power Supply	Cooler Master Real Power Pro 850W
Software	Windows 7 Professional X64

System Name	DarnGosh Edition
Processor	AMD 7800X3D
Motherboard	MSI X670E GAMING PLUS
Cooling	Thermalright AM5 Contact Frame + Phantom Spirit 120SE
Memory	G.Skill Trident Z5 NEO DDR5 6000 CL32-38-38-96
Video Card(s)	Asus Dual Radeon™ RX 6700 XT OC Edition
Storage	WD SN770 1TB (Boot)\| 2x 2TB WD SN770 (Gaming)\| 2x 2TB Crucial BX500\| 2x 3TB Toshiba DT01ACA300
Display(s)	LG GP850-B
Case	Corsair 760T (White) {1xCorsair ML120 Pro\|5xML140 Pro}
Audio Device(s)	Yamaha RX-V573\|Speakers: JBL Control One\|Auna 300-CN\|Wharfedale Diamond SW150
Power Supply	Seasonic Focus GX-850 80+ GOLD
Mouse	Logitech G502 X
Keyboard	Duckyshine Dead LED(s) III
Software	Windows 11 Home
Benchmark Scores	ლ(ಠ益ಠ)ლ

System Name	Obelisc
Processor	i7 3770k @ 4.8 GHz
Motherboard	Asus P8Z77-V
Cooling	H110
Memory	16GB(4x4) @ 2400 MHz 9-11-11-31
Video Card(s)	GTX 780 Ti
Storage	850 EVO 1TB, 2x 5TB Toshiba
Case	T81
Audio Device(s)	X-Fi Titanium HD
Power Supply	EVGA 850 T2 80+ TITANIUM
Software	Win10 64bit

System Name	Baby Box
Processor	i5 4670K @ 4GHz
Motherboard	Asus Z97I-PLUS
Cooling	Corsair H100i
Memory	16GB Kingston HyperX FURY DDR3 1600MHz @ CL10
Video Card(s)	EVGA GTX 780 Dual FTW w/ EVGA ACX Cooler
Storage	Crucial M500 240GB SSD (Boot Drive); Seagate 7200.12 1TB 7200RPM (Storage)
Display(s)	ASUS VH222H 21.5" 1920x1080
Case	Corsair 250D Mini ITX
Audio Device(s)	Audioengine D1 DAC/Amp
Power Supply	Cooler Master GX RS750 PSU
Mouse	Corsair SCIMITAR RGB
Keyboard	Corsair Vengeance K70 RGB
Software	Windows 10 Pro x64/ Linux Mint 17.3

System Name	Big Devil
Processor	Intel Core i5-2500K
Motherboard	ECS P67H2-A2
Cooling	XSPC Rasa \| Black Ice GT Stealth 240 \| XSPC X2O 750 \| 2x ACF12PWM \| PrimoChill White 7/16"
Memory	2x4GB Corsair Vengeance LP Arctic White 1600MHz CL9
Video Card(s)	EVGA GTX 780 ACX SC
Storage	Intel 520 Series 180GB + WD 1TB Blue
Display(s)	HP ZR30W 30" 2650x1600 IPS
Case	Corsair 600T SE
Audio Device(s)	Xonar Essence STX \| Sennheisser PC350 "Hero" Modded \| Corsair SP2500
Power Supply	ABS SL 1050W (Enermax Revolution Rebadge)
Software	Windows 8.1 x64 Pro w/ Media Center
Benchmark Scores	Ducky Year of the Snake w/ Cherry MX Browns & Year of the Tiger PBT Keycaps \| Razer Deathadder Black

System Name	Mašina
Processor	AMD-K6-200ALR 2.9V CORE/3.3V I/O
Motherboard	Asus TX97 - XE
Cooling	Cooler Master Ball Bearing
Memory	2X16MB NANYA DDR
Video Card(s)	PCI 16MB
Storage	Maxtor 4GB
Display(s)	15''
Case	Hyundai P50000M
Audio Device(s)	Creative Vibra 16S
Power Supply	130W
Software	Free Dos
Benchmark Scores	BFBC2 @ high = 100 frames per year

System Name	Monster
Processor	Intel i5 3570K
Motherboard	MSI Z77-GD65
Cooling	Corsair H100i
Memory	G.Skill Ares LP 8GB DDR3
Video Card(s)	MSI Radeon HD 7950 O/C
Storage	Samsung 840 EVO 250GB, OCZ Vertex 4 128GB, OCZ Vertex 2E 90GB etc.
Display(s)	Samsung T220
Case	Fractal Design R3
Audio Device(s)	Realtek 898 AC
Power Supply	Corsair RM 750
Mouse	Logitech G9x
Keyboard	QPAD MK-50
Software	Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 10 Professional

System Name	Little Girl
Processor	Intel Q9650 @ 3.6GHz
Motherboard	Gigabyte x48 DQ6
Cooling	liquid cooling
Memory	4gb (2x2) OCZ DDR2 PC2-9200
Video Card(s)	Gigabyte HD6950 unlock to Asus 6970 specs
Storage	Crucial CT128M225 128gb SSD
Display(s)	Acer 27" LCD @ 2048x1152
Case	DIY (spit & glue, ducktape, cardboard)
Audio Device(s)	On-board HD Audio
Power Supply	ABS Tagan 850w
Software	Win7 64bit