This is IMHO the most interesting review of the day, as W1z really tackled all the curious things it could entail.
We got our 7ghz ram and 896sp design, which was (in one scale or another) always something I've wanted to see with this architecture. Yay.
Obviously the mem controller (or some other hardware/software limitation, perhaps the hynix curiously-rated 1.55v ram?) kept AMD from using it as a default clock. I've always chocked their clocks (usually around 90% of ram speed and/or controller potential) to leaving room for AIBs and still being able to warranty it. The fact we don't see over 7200mhz overclocked could be telling why there isn't a bigger brother to this design, if not the power consumption from it...which was always something I've been curious about (and we clearly see taking it's toll on the >225w 294mm gk104 770).
The shame is that this part would have been pretty awesome (from an efficient/cheap arch design pov, not power consumption obviously) default clocked at 1100-1125/7000, but I imagine partners will do just that. While obviously teetering over efficiency on the core (seemingly 850-925mhz is most efficient with decent scaling up to 1150ish) and without a doubt eatting juice on the memory controller, it's an intriguing use of the architecture purely from what you can get from 160mm2. It makes you wonder what a mem controller like nvidia's (ie a slightly bigger chip) and/or samsung memory could do with a similar design within 150w, as the core clearly can stretch 10% higher than the memory can sustain while still having enough power room within 150w for that to make sense.
While I have little doubt this will quickly fall into the realm of the low-end AMD gpu price structure (~$120 with 7790 around $100), it certainly is overshadowed by the fact 7850 became so incredibly dirt cheap. If nothing else, this solidifies many of the choices made for Pitcairn (and conceivably Hawaii).
