January 9 Launch Date for AMD Radeon HD 7900

[erocker]

Digital solutions (Volterra) are most the time superior to Analog, but this specific Analog design (used on non-ref Cayman GPU's) is nowhere as quality as a Volterra Digital PWM.

Solid gold door handles on my Honda Civic would be awesome, but the plastic handles work fine.

 

[the54thvoid]

To detract from the current back and forth of this is pish, this is not pish - what I'm interested in is how long it will take NV to release PR given the rumours that they are well off their production of high end Kepler.
Normally when one company is behind, it starts to release hype to detract from the opposing companies impending release.
We'll know an AMD release is imminent if the gargantuan NV PR behemoth starts rolling.

 

[John Doe]

Solid gold door handles on my Honda Civic would be awesome, but the plastic handles work fine.

Why has it taken so long for AMD to move away from Volterra's then? They've thrown money on those on 4870's, 5870's... was it absolutely needed? No. But they "downgraded" quality with that cheap 6950 VRM. You can easily notice that in the 7900 pic.

 

[erocker]

You got me. I don't own a Civic.

If it works, I'm fine with it in every way. If it turns into something that likes to start on fire due to the cheaper components, well.. I don't like my video cards on fire.

 

[Disruptor4]

Oh man. I'm planning to upgrade my whole system in March.
7970, ivy bridge, PERFECT!

 

[oli_ramsay]

Oh man. I'm planning to upgrade my whole system in March.
7970, ivy bridge, PERFECT!

Me too! I can't wait!

 

[20mmrain]

Happy Birthday to Me literally! (Jan 9th) ---- No seriously really My b-day what a good present.... Hey girlfriend come here and look what you can get me!! (Besides Sex)

 

[John Doe]

Well accoring to him the VRM design on the GTX570 is rubbish, can't handle any overvolting(pure BS), and the same 4 phase design on the GTX470 was better and the GTX470 overclocked better too...

There is no use arguing with him, he acts like he knows what he is talking about, but in the end has no clue.

The reference 570 can handle overvolting however it might as well break off. And no, as I said before, the 470 doesn't have anything to do with the 570. The 570 is a 580 with 4 phases while the 470 has a different regulators with different potential, on a different PCB.

You're just some wannabe Internet tough guy with knowledge. I'd argue with you but at the end of the day it gets packaged in a bag of douche.

 

[20mmrain]

The reference 570 can handle overvolting however it might as well break off. And no, as I said before, the 470 doesn't have anything to do with the 570. The 570 is a 580 with 4 phases while the 470 has a different regulators with different potential, on a different PCB.

You're just some wannabe Internet tough guy with knowledge. I'd argue with you but at the end of the day it gets packaged in a bag of douche.

No offense to you and the guy you are talking too but isn't this a thread about the HD7900 series and not the GTX 500 series? Plus if the guy is (Whom ever it is I didn't take time to check) giving you that much trouble just let him talk himself to death. Don't respond Back on topic

 

[erocker]

I was about to say the same. This thread will NOT turn into a GTX 570 VRM issue thread.

My money is in the bank waiting... I want single GPU performance, this is it.

 

[20mmrain]

I was about to say the same.

My money is in the bank waiting...

Mine too I am excited to return back to ATI! (I am sorry I know they are AMD now but they will always be ATI to me )

Well I should actually say all the money is not there yet but a couple more weeks of 13 hour days the money for those cards and Ivy bridge will be there for sure

 

[mediasorcerer]

Im in, put me down for one 7970 please, this time reference too if possible.

 

[Cold Storm]

Birthday present? if so.. I'll give out my paypal addy so you can send me some...

 

[20mmrain]

Birthday present? if so.. I'll give out my paypal addy so you can send me some...

A January Kid too??? If so... how about this I will buy you one if you buy me one! Fair? LOL

 

[leonard_222003]

Fine move from AMD , they stir up this news and build hype to drive away customers from Nvidia in the coming days when people will spend on gifts and ......
It's interesting why it isn't realeased now when they could make big sales , they could rush it a bit but no , in january when pockets are empty and people barelly recover from new year.

 

[xenocide]

I'm waiting for benchmarks from both the 7xxx series and Nvidia's upcoming release. I plan on getting the best single-card solution available at the time, and then keeping it for several years.

 

[Super XP]

My internal ATI contact now working for AMD has already confirmed to me that there’s a strong possibility of a HD 7900 series launch for mid to late January 2012. In other words, they’ve been baking in the oven for several months now and AMD has enough to meet any possible demand. I’ve gotten this info on September 22, 2011 but was told not to say anything until after Christmas. AMD does not want to affect HD 6000 series Christmas sales by announcing the HD 7000 too soon. So much for the Top Secret

Happy Birthday to Me literally! (Jan 9th) ---- No seriously really My b-day what a good present.... Hey girlfriend come here and look what you can get me!! (Besides Sex)

No, you buy what you want, wrap it up and place your name in front of the TO: and your girlfriends name beside the LOVE:

Then when your B-day comes around, you run down the stairs kicking and screaming all happy with the gift you wrapped for yourself and tell your girlfriend thank you thank you sweetheart, this is great, thanks for the gift, now can I open it

 

[JATownes]

No, you buy what you want, wrap it up and place your name in front of the TO: and your girlfriends name beside the LOVE:

Then when your B-day comes around, you run down the stairs kicking and screaming all happy with the gift you wrapped for yourself and tell your girlfriend thank you thank you sweetheart, this is great, thanks for the gift, now can I open it

This man is an absolute genius!!!

 

[newtekie1]

What I have to say about the card itself:

The reference 570 can handle overvolting however it might as well break off. And no, as I said before, the 470 doesn't have anything to do with the 570. The 570 is a 580 with 4 phases while the 470 has a different regulators with different potential, on a different PCB.

You're just some wannabe Internet tough guy with knowledge. I'd argue with you but at the end of the day it gets packaged in a bag of douche.

I'll respect Erocker and not turn this into a GTX570/470 VRM argument. So I'll respond to the highlighted part, as well as talking about the HD7900 VRM and your argument about it.

First, the highlight part. My response: At least I've got knowledge, which is more than I can say for you.

Now the HD7900 VRM argument. Your argument from the beginning is that the card lacks the Volterra Digital PWM, "their best part", and a part that nVidia is lacking. Remember, you were the one that made it clear that nVidia cards don't have it. Ok, now that that is established, nVidia has been pumping out more powerful single GPU cards for years, and at the same time cards that suck down way more power! So obviously a Volterra PWM isn't important when you have a well designed card. /QED

You kind of killed your own argument before you finished your first post.

 

[mtosev]

My "money" is on $399 for HD 7950, $499 for HD 7970. That said, I have money for neither.

just beg w1zzard to give you one after he's done reviewing it PROFIT!!!!!!!!

 

[John Doe]

Now the HD7900 VRM argument. Your argument from the beginning is that the card lacks the Volterra Digital PWM, their best part, and a part that nVidia is lacking. Remember, you were the one that made it clear that nVidia cards don't have it. Ok, now that that is established, nVidia has been pumping out more powerful single GPU cards for years, and at the same time cards that suck down way more power! So obviously a Volterra PWM isn't important when you have a well designed card. /QED

You kind of killed your own argument before you finished your first post.

No, I didn't. nVidia doesn't use Volterra's since they create more heat for more accurate, digital power delivery. Their GPU's are too high profile to use it. It'd add in extra heat on top of their already high TDP cards, that's why they don't use it. AMD on the other hand kept it on their 5800 cards. The cards that flew past a Ghz with the help of dynamic response of Volterra.

Now that's clearly not the only thing. They switched to much of the exact VRM they used in the second revision of 6970 (the one btarunr explained). The ones that look like original cards but aren't. Either way, this is a significant downgrade in card quality over the top end VRM they used for years.

 

[newtekie1]

No, I didn't. nVidia doesn't use Volterra's since they create more heat for more accurate, digital power delivery. Their GPU's are too high profile to use it. It'd add in extra heat on top of their already high TDP cards, that's why they don't use it. AMD on the other hand kept it on their 5800 cards. The cards that flew past a Ghz with the help of dynamic response of Volterra.

Now that's clearly not the only thing. They switched to much of the exact VRM they used in the second revision of 6970 (the one btarunr explained). The ones that look like original cards but aren't. Either way, this is a significant downgrade in card quality over the top end VRM they used for years.

And nVidia didn't need to use Volterras to achieve a higher performance card or to design a PWM that handles more current. So Volterra does not make a card good, obviously. It might help, but it certainly doesn't hurt to not have a Volterra. Again, right when you essentially said "this was their best part an they removed it, look at this better card over here that didn't have it" you pretty much nailed the coffin of your argument shut.

Also, the HD6970 non-reference boards that didn't use a Volterra design all hit 1GHz+, and all overclocked pretty much just as well as the reference design if not better. So, again, obviously you don't need a Volterra to have a good high quality card.

Their GPUs have always been the best part of their cards, and what has made their cards great. The Volterra PWM design wasn't necessary, and the non-reference cards proved that.

 

[erocker]

The card pictured looks like it is probably using a CHiL voltage processor.

 

[xenocide]

nVidia doesn't use Volterra's since they create more heat for more accurate, digital power delivery. Their GPU's are too high profile to use it.

wat?

 

[John Doe]

And nVidia didn't need to use Volterras to achieve a higher performance card or to design a PWM that handles more current. So Volterra does not make a card good, obviously. It might help, but it certainly doesn't hurt to not have a Volterra. Again, right when you essentially said "this was their best part an they removed it, look at this better card over here that didn't have it" you pretty much nailed the coffin of your argument shut.

This is the issue. They have to make up for their lack of GPU power from somewhere else. Let it be price or power consumption. Replacing Volterra with cheap VRM would only make the card worse.

Also, the HD6970 non-reference boards that didn't use a Volterra design all hit 1GHz+, and all overclocked pretty much just as well as the reference design if not better. So, again, obviously you don't need a Volterra to have a good high quality card.

This is wrong. The highest OC's on 6970 cards have been seen on reference solutions. Yes, Lightnings OC well though with reference you're guaranteed to get quality. Non-ref, even a good solution can be a crapshoot and not OC due lack of QC. I.E. Gigabyte's older Ultra Durable cards.

Their GPUs have always been the best part of their cards, and what has made their cards great. The Volterra PWM design wasn't necessary, and the non-reference cards proved that.

Obviously that comes down on which specific GPU's you comparing.

wat?

They have too large TDP's that deny usage of Volterra (to keep thermals low).