AMD Radeon HD 7790 Arriving This Week

[btarunr]

It looks like AMD isn't waiting till the end of March or early April to launch its Radeon HD 7790 performance-segment graphics card. According to a 3DCenter.org report, the new graphics card will launch this week, either on Thursday or Friday, and that press-samples of the card have already shipped out. Based on the brand new 28 nm "Bonaire" silicon, the HD 7790 is expected to capture a price-point competitive to NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 650 Ti, around 135€. NVIDIA isn't sitting idle, and is planning a GTX 650 Ti refresh of its own.



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[Jorge]

Competition is good as consumers are the winners. I suspect AMD is just waiting to release new GPU products as needed.

 

[Ronnyv1]

Oh men this is so exciting, can't wait to see the benchies for the 650ti refresh and 7790s, wonder if they'll be worth it for med-high 1080p :3

 

[sergionography]

Oh men this is so exciting, can't wait to see the benchies for the 650ti refresh and 7790s, wonder if they'll be worth it for med-high 1080p :3

if they perform like a gtx460 clocked at 800mhz then im only gonna feel better about the 145$ card that I bought back in 2010 XD
what we need is gtx580 like performance for under 200

 

[DarkOCean]

what we need is gtx580 like performance for under 200

+1
and that is gtx 660ti

 

[Nordic]

+1
and that is gtx 660ti

Cheapest price on newegg is $274 for a sparkle 660ti.

 

[DarkOCean]

Cheapest price on newegg is $274 for a sparkle 660ti.

i know, i was just pointing the gtx 580 equivalent from this generation wich is yet to be seen at that price; maybe next generation.

 

[sergionography]

+1
and that is gtx 660ti

except 660ti cost 300$ + but yes thats what we need, 7870 under 200$ is also welcome any day!
though on the realistic side, tsmc needs to lower prices on 28nm production already! heck its rediculous how amd cant afford to sell a 200mm2 chip(pitcairn) for less than 200$ when the soi 32nm at global foundries is being sold less than 200 dollars and its over 310mm2
the fact that they are making this many different chips is indicative of that, and making a chip smaller than cape verde is even more extreme. that being said Im a bit skeptical about kabini/temash being as successful as brazos, since brazos were dirt cheap yet profitable, while now with kabini/temash they have arm socs on the lower end and ulv processors on the higher end, and if they cant be profitable while having dirt cheap prices then they might not see the same adoption as brazos
what amd needs to do is to work with multiple fab partners at this point, im sure many foundries have 28nm by now, and as far as I remember jaguar is supposed to be a generic design that should work with almost any foundry with minimal amount of redesign

 

[EzioAs]

what we need is gtx580 like performance for under 200

The GTX 660 (non-Ti) is somewhere between the GTX 570 and GTX 580 (closer to the 580) and if you're lucky enough, you can sometimes find a factory overclocked card with custom cooler below $220. That is as close as the GTX 580 performance "close to" $200.

Some HD7850 2GB are below $200 and you can overclocked them (highly) to get GTX 580-like performance.

 

[alwayssts]

I still think that's why we should boo-hiss 7790; because this part signifies a way of thinking that will keep that part everyone wants (660ti/7870XT spec) from hitting that magic $200 price.

Bonaire is almost certainly 896sp native, because that would be the most efficient design. A SKU with that spec would replace 7850 any way you cut it.

By shoehorning it into this generation at a '50' spec with '70' clocks it artificially props up prices on old chips...it stabilizes 7770 around $100 and 7850 ~$150 (obviously they want this to be slightly higher...we shall see when 650ti v2 launches).

What do you think they will do with Hainan if this is their plan?

What may have been ~7870/7950 (slightly faster) replacements at the ~200/300 range and perhaps in more respectable size/power envelopes could now become a part that stabilizes those prices on the former mentioned and splits the difference (replacing Tahiti LE). IOW, 660ti will be more stable sandwiched between 7870/Hainan than '8850/8870'.

Yeah, I've said it around the webs a few times already...and granted we don't know the whole truth yet...but this is really starting to reek of marketing shenanigans. I thought AMD knew that was the one thing that kept them more respectable than nvidia. Yeah, AMD has to eat like everyone else, but it really kills their title as value leaders...even if that is a title they openly loathe (because it insinuates less than, which isn't true). Instead of forcing nvidia to drop their prices with newer-specced chips, they may be keeping the prices stable and/or artificially high. That just ain't progress, it ain't cool, and it ain't the AMD we all have appreciated in the past for moving tech forward and down-market each year.

 

[Relayer]

This seems to serve 2 purposes. 1, There's a big performance gap between 7770 and 7850. Especially if you consider the 7850's running at ~1GHz. 2, Stops the 7850's price slide.

 

[lemonadesoda]

.but this is really starting to reek of marketing shenanigans. I thought AMD knew that was the one thing that kept them more respectable than nvidia

AMD is close to ruin. Financially nearly bankrupt... selling off all assets it can (HQ on sale lease-back to window-dress accounts). When you are this close to seeing the lights being turned off, you will try every trick to milk what you've got to survive a little longer. Marketing shenanigans? Respectable? Morally bankrupt? I think the CEO is trying to deliver cash as fast as possible. Whatever it takes. Expect mail in rebate coupons soon.

 

[ironwolf]

AMD is close to ruin. Financially nearly bankrupt... selling off all assets it can (HQ on sale lease-back to window-dress accounts). When you are this close to seeing the lights being turned off, you will try every trick to milk what you've got to survive a little longer. Marketing shenanigans? Respectable? Morally bankrupt? I think the CEO is trying to deliver cash as fast as possible. Whatever it takes. Expect mail in rebate coupons soon.

Holy FUD Batman. Haven't seen that much over one company in a while. Making it sound like AMD is going to be shuttering the doors by the end of the day.

 

[Casecutter]

what we need is gtx580 like performance for under 200

Well, the best that beats a GTX580, while closest to $200 will be a PowerColor AX7870 2GBD5-2DHPPV2E (Tahiti LE) that's just $205 -AR$30 +$6 shipping at Egg.

 

[Casecutter]

but this is really starting to reek of marketing shenanigans. I thought AMD knew that was the one thing that kept them more respectable than nvidia.

Friend not sure what to make of this ranting...

I look at it this way... AMD gave us a fine card in the 7850, 1Gb while probably on that PCB and a Pitcairn silicon could hold some acceptable profit for both them and AIB's. However, I see that as Pitcairn has matured AMD probably is seeing yields on the "XT" version increase. Bonaire is a "pipe-cleaner" (aka 4770), but not to test a process shrink, but revisions to GNC architecture or structure layout. Some reports say it isn't, but no company would spin new silicone without proving some engineering purpose. So you "rake AMD over the coals" for actual developing new stuff, not just fluffing some gelded chip that's just bizarre! I'd much rather see AMD challenge/confronting with new engineering tech, than cobbling together something that more smoke and mirrors with spec's and bigger stickered boxes.

Here's the thing, 7850 1Gb will wane from channel over the next 6-8 weeks, while 7850 2Gb will see a certain "scarceness", that holds pricing in the $160-170. However, with 7870's in abundance you'll be hard pressed to drop $170-190 -AR for 7870 by end of April. The 7790 will back-fill 7850 1Gb deals (right now $150-160), with a card that's within 10%, while $130-150 MSRP at the start.

I don't know if even this will finally snap Nvidia from its’ delusional pricing. The 7790 will snuff the GTX650Ti, basically bestowing 7790 as the first "budget card" to really provide 1920x gaming without killing all eye-candy for most, except the most arduous/modern titles. Now a GTX660 at $210-230 is 8% in front of the 7850; although still bested by the 7870 it isn't that far 8-9% behind... Then GTX660Ti which has a 30-40% premium ($275-300). Basically the 7870 Tahiti LE part for $220 easily spars with the GTX660Ti. It's not unlike Green Marketing to go all pigheaded on us.

I see it as perfectly played, AMD is moving tech forward and adding new pressure on the market after one year of releasing Cape Verde and Pitcairn silicon. Here's what's fantastic... 7790's will be like a GTX560Ti and will probably settle in a $125-135 -AR. Not a bad place (card) that less than 18 mo's ago was in the $240 price range, and the first card that will provide 1920x and decent settings for the mass's!

 

[DarkOCean]

the way i see it the next step is a 1792 sp card (also new sillicon) + a cut down version of 1536 to "replace" 7870xt and 7950 and compete with gtx 660ti and 670 respectively.

 

[Casecutter]

the way i see it the next step is a 1792 sp card (also new sillicon) + a cut down version of 1536 to "replace" 7870xt and 7950 and compete with gtx 660ti and 670 respectively.

Yea, honestly I thought that would be their first move... until the news; "we may not be releasing 8XXX in 2013 rumor went viral". I’m guessing AMD really saw the need for a budget card for all those 1920x monitors most are moving into. If it's the second it works fine!

Now, we wait and see if AMD will release proper 8850/8870 sku's in the next 3-4 months.

 

[DarkOCean]

Yea, honestly I thought that would be their first move... until the news; "we may not be releasing 8XXX in 2013 rumor went viral". I’m guessing AMD really saw the need for a budget card for all those 1920x monitors most are moving into. If it's the second it works fine!

Now, we wait and see if AMD will release proper 8850/8870 sku's in the next 3-4 months.

i see a "real'' 7890 in my crystal ball.

 

[Casecutter]

i see a "real'' 7890 in my crystal ball.

I think Nvidia is 6-8mo's away from a Kepler re-spin, they'll release the "The Runt of Titian" (Radork ) and that's it for 2103 AMD will be release Malta at a price, Idk... $650.

Though sometime early-mid summer could "Hainan" be released taking on 670/680, while Pitcairn will hold the $150-200 maybe Tahiti LE just disappears and 7950 Boost hold at $250. Then Curacao 8970/8950 will come that spar's with Titian but only costs $550. Then a full spec Bonaire XT will come and AMD will just rename 7790 as 8750 with XT as 8770.

 

[Relayer]

I think Nvidia is 6-8mo's away from a Kepler re-spin, they'll release the "The Runt of Titian" (Radork ) and that's it for 2103 AMD will be release Malta at a price, Idk... $650.

Though sometime early-mid summer could "Hainan" be released taking on 670/680, while Pitcairn will hold the $150-200 maybe Tahiti LE just disappears and 7950 Boost hold at $250. Then Curacao 8970/8950 will come that spar's with Titian but only costs $550. Then a full spec Bonaire XT will come and AMD will just rename 7790 as 8750 with XT as 8770.

I doubt we'll see another $550 top end card on 28nm. If it matches Titan it'll be $800 and fall to $700 when nobody buys it.