AMD Radeon Resizable BAR / Smart Access Memory

[ratirt]

@W1zzard why you still aren't using 4 Ram modules? It does boost the performance for both Intel and AMD.

 

[W1zzard]

@W1zzard why you still aren't using 4 Ram modules? It does boost the performance for both Intel and AMD.

Why is everybody suddenly talking about this? It's been known for a long time, but just isn't practical for most?

 

[Woomack]

@W1zzard why you still aren't using 4 Ram modules? It does boost the performance for both Intel and AMD.

It's not really like it boosts performance. Depends on the application and many other factors it gives 0-5% performance gain. In most cases, it's close to a 0% gain. Dual rank memory is something that was here for long years but suddenly people start to talk and make up stories (most don't test anything, just repost what they saw around the web). Later forums are flooded by "up to 15% boost".

Btw. nice article W1zzard

 

[ratirt]

Why is everybody suddenly talking about this? It's been known for a long time, but just isn't practical for most?

Why not practical? I know it's been known for some time but aren't the CPUs now struggling with performance at 1080p considering the current GPUs? Wouldn't it be better to get some extra performance out of the CPUs to evaluate and test the current graphics cards? Considering the trend of how the GPUs performance increase I think it is best to get the most of the CPUs to have a better reflection, what you can expect of the card.

It's not really like it boosts performance. Depends on the application and many other factors it gives 0-5% performance gain. In most cases, it's close to a 0% gain. Dual rank memory is something that was here for long years but suddenly people start to talk and make up stories. Later forums are flooded by "up to 15% boost".

Btw. nice article W1zzard

I'm talking about games here only and yes, it does boost performance of the CPUs in both cases and the graphics cards achieve more FPS just by adding 2 additional ram modules to have 4 instead of 2. They started talking about it for a reason and that would be CPU bottlenecks at 1080p.

 

[W1zzard]

Why not practical? I know it's been known for some time but aren't the CPUs now struggling with performance at 1080p considering the current GPUs? Wouldn't it be better to get some extra performance out of the CPUs to evaluate and test the current graphics cards? Considering the trend of how the GPUs performance increase I think it is best to get the most of the CPUs to have a better reflection, what you can expect of the card.

Yeah I'll definitely look more into this when I have time, right now I have 10x SSD for last months, 2x NVIDIA NDA custom design for tomorrow, Radeon custom design soon, new NVIDIA cards next month, 6900 XT next month, 3080 Ti next month. Also reevaluation power testing methodology on GPU, noise testing on GPU, need new CPU test methodology, new GPU test benchmarks, possibly on Zen 3.

 

[Woomack]

I'm talking about games here only and yes, it does boost performance of the CPUs in both cases and the graphics cards achieve more FPS just by adding 2 additional ram modules to have 4 instead of 2. They started talking about it for a reason and that would be CPU bottlenecks at 1080p.

I actually tested that recently and at 1080p there is up to ~3-5% difference when games already run at 100FPS+. At 1440p+ there is barely any gain, typically in the error margin range. I simply can't confirm what some others spread around the web.

So yes, it helps a bit but it's not really a performance boost. Results at 2x dual-rank modules and 4x single-rank are about the same. Results at 4x single-rank modules are usually a bit better than 4x dual-rank (a matter of memory timings and what motherboard sets under auto). There is also a matter of motherboard and its topology. Simply many variables so can't always say that 4 memory modules are better.

 

[ratirt]

Yeah I'll definitely look more into this when I have time, right now I have 10x SSD for last months, 2x NVIDIA NDA custom design for tomorrow, Radeon custom design soon, new NVIDIA cards next month, 6900 XT next month, 3080 Ti next month. Also reevaluation power testing methodology on GPU, noise testing on GPU, need new CPU test methodology, new GPU test benchmarks, possibly on Zen 3.

I don't wanna hustle you about this just pointing out that maybe this is a good approach for testing. I know you are busy and I really appreciate your work.
As a token for appreciation, I have a wizz pick in my signature

I actually tested that recently and at 1080p there is up to ~3-5% difference when games already run at 100FPS+. At 1440p+ there is barely any gain, typically in the error margin range. I simply can't confirm what some others spread around the web.

So yes, it helps a bit but it's not really a performance boost. Results at 2x dual-rank modules and 4x single-rank are about the same. Results at 4x single-rank modules are usually a bit better than 4x dual-rank (a matter of memory timings and what motherboard sets under auto). There is also a matter of motherboard and its topology. Simply many variables so can't always say that 4 memory modules are better.

There's also other reviewers who have tested it. Maybe you should also look into that.

 

[Super XP]

Tbh, that's a difference way too small to even be mentioned, or am I missing something?

SAM isn't fully optimized in my opinion, I think overtime it will end up giving better results.

 

[W1zzard]

SAM isn't fully optimized in my opinion, I think overtime it will end up giving better results.

What is there to optimize? It's just one chunk of memory in address space now

 

[HTC]

Apparently, the biggest gains this technology brings are with the 1% lows and 0.1% lows: not so much the average FPS.

 

[THU31]

Just a gimmick for now. Maybe it will have more of an impact when devs start optimizing for it, but right now you will not notice the difference, whether positive or negative.

 

[Sora]

you'll have to reinstall Windows on a GPT partition. There's also a conversion mechanism between MBR and GPT, but I haven't tested that.

Use MBR2GPT included with windows to convert the partition table and install the UEFI boot loader, no need to reinstall - only limitation is you can't have more than 3 partitions on the disk and it can't be dynamic.

 

[AsRock]

It is way bigger than that, and what makes it interesting, it's free and available on all platforms. Of course in a subjective scenario without FPS counter you'd never notice the difference, but all the little gains add up eventually

It's free ?, don't you need to buy a AMD V card, mobo and CPU. I hardly call it free but yes a some what interesting feature.

I think i will skip the FREE feature for now .

 

[olstyle]

It isn't proprietary, stop making things up: https://www.pcgamer.com/amd-smart-access-memory-not-proprietary-promise/

AMD only now said this BECAUSE people where hating on them for restricting it to a Zen3+PCIe4 platform. Please don't confuse effect and cause.
@sam/Resizable BAR: So activate if you can, don't be too disappointed if you can't. No brainer really.

 

[W1zzard]

Use MBR2GPT included with windows to convert the partition table and install the UEFI boot loader, no need to reinstall - only limitation is you can't have more than 3 partitions on the disk and it can't be dynamic.

This won't always work, I've tried, there's a few more gotchas, but yeah. Definitely try that first.

It's free ?, don't you need to buy a AMD V card, mobo and CPU. I hardly call it free but yes a some what interesting feature.

I think i will skip the FREE feature for now .

No, it will (eventually) work on EVERY chipset and EVERY graphics card (that's PCI-E). This is a standard PCI feature

 

[bug]

It's free ?, don't you need to buy a AMD V card, mobo and CPU. I hardly call it free but yes a some what interesting feature.

I think i will skip the FREE feature for now .

As a rule of thumb, free hardware features require you to buy hardware. Bummer, I know.

This one is free as in it doesn't incur additional costs (e.g. adding a G-Sync module to the mix).

 

[kruk]

AMD only now said this BECAUSE people where hating on them for restricting it to a Zen3+PCIe4 platform. Please don't confuse effect and cause.

Please provide proof that Smart Access Memory was meant to be proprietary. They have limited resources and not investing time and cash into supporting (and testing) all possible combinations of hardware makes sense to me.

 

[kapone32]

Just imagine for a moment that if they release the new TR4 chips that have smart access but also enough PCIe lanes to run up to 11 Pcie 4 NVMEs in RAID 0?

Please provide proof that Smart Access Memory was meant to be proprietary. They have limited resources and not investing time and cash into supporting (and testing) all possible combinations of hardware makes sense to me.

Nvidia claimed that this is a API feature that they are working on. Just because AMD is the first doesn't mean that it is going to keep it that way. This feature is available on all Games no? It is like AMD's Ray tracing that will natively work with any Game that has Ray tracing enabled vs Nvidia who don't just have Physx and Hairworks that they have been very selfish with but also their own flavor of Ray Tracing. I notice that the community (online) generally praises DLSS and RTX but laments anything that AMD does like many of the Nvidia fans that are crfying foul in this forum. I wonder what anyone will have to say when the 6900XT reviews land?

 

[W1zzard]

This feature is available on all Games no?

Correct, but it's more like it's irrelevant for games. It only changes the interaction between graphics driver and hardware, it's completely transparent and invisible to the rest of the system

 

[kapone32]

Correct, but it's more like it's irrelevant for games. It only changes the interaction between graphics driver and hardware, it's completely transparent and invisible to the rest of the system

I would love to see how this will be with CPU intensive Games like TWWH or Civ6.

 

[AsRock]

This won't always work, I've tried, there's a few more gotchas, but yeah. Definitely try that first.


No, it will (eventually) work on EVERY chipset and EVERY graphics card (that's PCI-E). This is a standard PCI feature

Did AMD say they were going too ?, i guess they will at some point but by them not saying they plan or at least not making it known they plan to has only made them look a bit of a ass by being a ass not saying this, with no help from nVidia piping in that they are making it as wide spread as possible.

So no for now it's not a FREE feature imo.

 

[W1zzard]

Did AMD say they were going too

Not aware that they made any promises. You guys just need to make enough noise, just like with Zen 3 support on older boards and they'll say "ah fuck this, there's too much drama, *point at random engineers* solve this problem"

 

[dragontamer5788]

Why is everybody suddenly talking about this? It's been known for a long time, but just isn't practical for most?

You're not keeping up with the Youtube generation W1zzard!

That video started this whole "test 4 sticks" thingy that you're seeing a lot of now.

 

[igralec84]

Funny i got a 5600X 8 days after launch, went to a local computer parts store and it was in stock at a not too much markedup price (now it's already 35€ more but still in stock), but getting a 6800/XT based on the 2 attempts to buy directly at that sweet MSRP from AMD on wednesday and yesterday, might be a problem

 

[jesdals]

I havent been able to activate it in bios withouy loosing all my drives (3x nvme)

Use MBR2GPT included with windows to convert the partition table and install the UEFI boot loader, no need to reinstall - only limitation is you can't have more than 3 partitions on the disk and it can't be dynamic.

What is the UEFI boot loader?