AMD 4GB Radeon RX 480 Can Be Flashed into 8GB

[Chaitanya]

time to make a detailed modding guide?

you do take quite impressive detailed pics, which might help people ID what cards are moddable.

Here is the wccftech post that probably started all this 4GB->8GB modding posts.
http://wccftech.com/amd-rx-480-4gb-cards-8gb-unlockable-bios-update/

 

[btarunr]

time to make a detailed modding guide?

atiflash.exe -f -p 0 8gbbiosfile.rom

Kthxbai.

 

[Recon-UK]

Ummm bios flashing is as simple as me making a cup of coffee...

 

[Mussels]

i meant for knowing if your card was compatible or not with pretty pictures

 

[$ReaPeR$]

it could be meant as a pr move, but imo it was just to bump start the 4gig version sale, thats the real sweet spot card.

 

[W1zzard]

atiflash.exe -f -p 0 8gbbiosfile.rom

Kthxbai.

doesn't work. i tried flashing the 8 gb press card bios to the 4 gb card

 

[truth teller]

im sure not all (future) 4gb retails cards wont ship with 8gb.
that was probably a manufacture mode so they could increase the availability (of any of the models) at launch. one assembly line, one pick and place routine and component list, just a different bios flashing near the end
but, hey one can dream right?
btw, is there anything in place on the hardware that prevents the flashing of a modded bios on the rx480?

doesn't work. i tried flashing the 8 gb press card bios to the 4 gb card

digital signature check? if the cards continue to come out of the assembly line like this, please investigate the issue! if this could be softmoded (or even with some small hardware changes like the 9800 resistor mod) it would kick ass!

 

[GhostRyder]

So its similar to how early production HD 6950 cards could be unlocked to full HD 6970's. Its just early production must have had an influx on the chips and used some of them on the 4gb models. Guess it could be an early bonus if you get lucky and get one and figure out how to unlock it.

doesn't work. i tried flashing the 8 gb press card bios to the 4 gb card

Hmm, wonder how its locked out then...

 

[-The_Mask-]

Here is the wccftech post that probably started all this 4GB->8GB modding posts.
http://wccftech.com/amd-rx-480-4gb-cards-8gb-unlockable-bios-update/

No first there was the PCPer review, which pointed it out and this article is based on the forum of the Dutch site Tweakers which was also earlier.

 

[Jism]

So any solid proof on flashing to 8GB?

I think it's a 1GB vs 2GB chip-story. We've never seen a company put 8GB ram but only adress half of it on GPU's. They did rebadge 750MHz CPU's before as 600MHz models.

 

[cadaveca]

i meant for knowing if your card was compatible or not with pretty pictures

You didn't pay attention to the front page much, did you?

https://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/159

 

[-The_Mask-]

So any solid proof on flashing to 8GB?

Waiting for W1zzard

We've never seen a company put 8GB ram but only adress half of it on GPU's.

We do now, the first RX480 cards have it.

 

[Jism]

If sample cards would carry 8GB and thus by Bios be flashed towards 4GB to do 2 reviews at the same time, then it's pretty much obvious. I dont think there are retail cards out there that have 8GB of ram but flashed back to 4GB. It would make no sense at all.

Like someone said before in this thread, it's the 1Gb vs 2Gb chips.

 

[newtekie1]

I don't get why would AMD ship 8GB in 4GB cards. Are they sure they can actually access >4GB of VRAM and not just listed in GPU-Z or something?

Simplify the first manufacturing run. They didn't have enough time to re-tool and switch to the 4GB version before the launch, so they just flashed some of the 8GB models to 4GB models to get them on shelves in time. It's been done in the past. Early GTX465 cards were really GTX470 cards flashed with GTX465 BIOS. It was only the first batch though.

 

[ixi]

I remember AMD doing this before (flash 6950 to 70), does anybody remember Nvidia doing something like this before, no. I only remember 3.5GB fast RAM and 512MB slow xD.

 

[horik]

I feel like watching those videos where a youtuber "teatches" you how to upgrade your old TV to a 4K one or a PS3 to PS4.

 

[TRWOV]

mmm hmmm.... *backs away slowly from thread and takes out wallet*

 

[-The_Mask-]

If sample cards would carry 8GB and thus by Bios be flashed towards 4GB to do 2 reviews at the same time, then it's pretty much obvious. I dont think there are retail cards out there that have 8GB of ram but flashed back to 4GB. It would make no sense at all.

Like someone said before in this thread, it's the 1Gb vs 2Gb chips.

You should read Tweakers more.
It does make sense, explanation already given there.

 

[Nobody99]

Companies should really stop locking cores, chips and limiting frequency. This is really not economical and in the end you end up with more models which have the same hardware and are never 100% utilized. Also can you call such a product ECO since there are elements on it which will never be used?