AMD "Hawaii" Based Dual-GPU Graphics Card Around the Corner?

[btarunr]

AMD started sending editors / VGA reviewers of some leading tech websites envelopes labeled "Top Secret." In it, are Polaroid-sized photos of the editors. In each photo, there are two pictures of the same editor, with a cryptic handwritten note that reads "Wouldn't you agree that two is better than one?" Two such pictures are posted below, by our friends from AnandTech and PC Perspective. This stunt is leading some to believe that AMD is ready with a dual-GPU graphics card based on its "Hawaii" silicon, given that it began guerrilla-marketing it.

Given how power-hungry a single-GPU Radeon R9 290X is, the only way AMD can build a dual-GPU card that doesn't outdo your hairdryer in power consumption (and possibly noise), is by toning each GPU down in specifications. The "Hawaii" silicon could either be configured similar to the R9 290 (i.e. 2,560 SPs, 160 TMUs), with lower clock speeds; or tone it down even further, by disabling more GCN compute units. There's also the option of narrowing down the memory bus and ROP count.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[The Von Matrices]

W1zzard gets graphics card samples from AMD. Where is his image?

 

[btarunr]

W1zzard gets graphics card samples from AMD. Where is his image?

He doesn't like duck-facing strangers' cameras.

 

[Xzibit]

Two faces on same polaroid

What if its two GPUs on same die ?

Revised Hawaii like a XL or Pro2 version

He doesn't like duck-facing strangers' cameras.

So its not a face shot

 

[HumanSmoke]

Two faces on same polaroid
What if its two GPUs on same die ? Revised Hawaii like a XL or Pro2 version

876mm² of silicon in a single die? Yeah, totally do-able from a fabrication and heat dissipation point of view. Makes even more sense given the likely limited sales and time in the marketplace before 16nmFF arrives.

EDIT: Leaked shots of the cooler for your 876mm² HawaiiXXXXL.

 

[Lionheart]

876mm² of silicon in a single die? Yeah, totally do-able from a fabrication and heat dissipation point of view. Makes even more sense given the likely limited sales and time in the marketplace before 16nmFF arrives.

EDIT: Leaked shots of the cooler for your 876mm² HawaiiXXXXL.

That's hilarious Hahaha!

 

[Desert_fox]

Msi Lightning 290x with 4 8pin and 2 6pin pci-e power yea two of those cards and I wouldn't need a furnace any longer.

 

[HammerON]

It will be interesting to see if AMD is able to get this dual GPU right after their failed HD 7990. It will require a well designed cooling solution

 

[Lionheart]

It will be interesting to see if AMD is able to get this dual GPU right after their failed HD 7990. It will require a well designed cooling solution

The HD7990 failed?

 

[HammerON]

In my opinion "yes".

 

[RCoon]

The HD7990 failed?

Until they dropped the price colossally, it wasn't very well recieved. 7970 in crossfire was more powerful, and the 7990 was gimped by the fact crossfire wasn't 100% stable(at the time, it's better now). The original Devil13 design was fairly terrible, then AMD finally released a reference version, which hardly anyone bought. Then it got a massive price slash (in half?) and it got bought a little bit.

 

[Sempron Guy]

^the first gen HD7990 I suppose

 

[Fluffmeister]

Leaked shots of the cooler for your 876mm² HawaiiXXXXL.

Some early reviews are coming in:

 

[HumanSmoke]

Until they dropped the price colossally, it wasn't very well recieved. 7970 in crossfire was more powerful, and the 7990 was gimped by the fact crossfire wasn't 100% stable(at the time, it's better now). The original Devil13 design was fairly terrible, then AMD finally released a reference version, which hardly anyone bought. Then it got a massive price slash (in half?) and it got bought a little bit.

Probably didn't help that the reference HD 7990 was board limited by input power and thermals which stunted its overclock potential , debuted just as the frame pacing issue was gaining traction, and users (inc OEMs) had heat (and throttling) issues with quadfire

 

[HammerON]

Probably didn't help that the reference HD 7990 was board limited by input power and thermals which stunted its overclock potential , debuted just as the frame pacing issue was gaining traction, and users (inc OEMs) had heat (and throttling) issues with quadfire

Yep and the coil whine

 

[the54thvoid]

I know AMD are trying to be cool but it's not really that impressive to make dual gpu' these days. Unless of course they make a dual card with the same performance of two Hawaii XT cards with less power and heat.

 

[RCoon]

I know AMD are trying to be cool but it's not really that impressive to make dual gpu' these days. Unless of course they make a dual card with the same performance of two Hawaii XT cards with less power and heat.

AMD make a dual GPU card solely for the purpose of claiming the performance crown on a "single card, but most powerful". Then they can pat themselves on the back and tell people they make the most powerful single card GPU for PR purposes..

 

[Prima.Vera]

If they use custom after-market cooling and the price is much less than 2x290X cards, than it will be a success.

 

[arbiter]

i would probably guess down-clocked to like 800-850mhz per gpu and even then probably still run least mid 80's c still with a TDP probably close to 500watt range. Would hope AMD puts some time and effort in to a good cooler design unlike their last idea for cooler on current 290(x) cards.

 

[btarunr]

Some early reviews are coming in:

There, you found W1zzard.

 

[Ali bakhshi]

thats gonna be a Monster

 

[vega22]

even if they downclock the 290x cores to stay within the 450w max they can draw i would guess they would only do it if it can become the most powerful option for 1 slot solutions.

7990 failed? when they was under £400 here nobody could keep them in stock well before mining hit the mainstream.

 

[Casecutter]

Get over yourselves perhaps it's not about gamers… Could AMD binned a few of the best Hawaii chips, figuring now what the heck regular gamers don't honestly need this thing (do the bulk ever need bleeding edge)? Let's charge top dollar on a matched pair of chips, and saddle it with some three fan/slot monster and make a "boat load" before this stupid crazy Litcoin market "goes bust"…

Good for them how many regular "Gamers" are really going to get their panties in wad... I can't afford it boohoo to you! That didn’t stop the Titan accolades.

If this monster came with 8Gb and could run six 4k displays in Eyefinity I’d say kudos for being in a position to develop such bleeding edge hardware. Dam the naysayers, those who'd whine of the power... the heat, it's expensive… If AMD can do it and make money good for them. Is it only good when Nvidia does it? I don't mind sitting in the grandstands watching the Jumbotron, and the guy who can build and set that up won’t fret the money either.

 

[vega22]

i can see 8gb per core for 16gb total casecutter.

should do 3 4k screens at least

 

[qwerty12345]

In the second pictures they have the nvidia 3d vision glasses
LOL