***AMD Radeon HD7970 GHZ Edition - Official Reviews Thread***

[The_Golden_Man]

I agree with this.

However, I think a comparison between the 7970GE and the GTX480 cant be made, because the latter had a 15% advantage against the competition where as this card doesn't seem to have enough of a lead to warrant the heat/noise characteristics let alone power consumption.

Yeah, that was my point. You dared to step forward and say the whole sentence

 

[3DVagabond]

I agree with this.

However, I think a comparison between the 7970GE and the GTX480 cant be made, because the latter had a 15% advantage against the competition where as this card doesn't seem to have enough of a lead to warrant the heat/noise characteristics let alone power consumption.

The difference in power usage between the 5870 and 480 was far greater though. Trying to compare the 7970 to the 480 is misleading.

 

[lopri]

Totally misleading and not comparable. I would not touch 480 with a ten foot pole. Not sure why people are comparing 480 and 7970, either, at least from hardware perspective.

 

[Will Robinson]

No one cares about Dirt.

Hmm...I didn't know that....Guess that's why Tech Report use it as one of their main video card benchmarks.

 

[SirPauly]

Totally misleading and not comparable. I would not touch 480 with a ten foot pole. Not sure why people are comparing 480 and 7970, either, at least from hardware perspective.

Imho,

I had a GTX 470 MSI Twin Frozr and was cool and quiet. There was the filtering with Fermi, which didn't suffer from the mip-map transition noise on high frequency textures which the 58XX series had. There was DirectX 10+ transparency and super-sampled as well as improved flexibility with over-all transparency, strong tessellation and compute, 3d vision, GPU PhysX and forced on Ambient Occlusion.

The key with the first Fermi's, some may make the claim that Fermi wasn't as balanced as AMD's offerings from a performance/heat/acoustic/power efficiency stand-point and if this was important to a gamer, one may of taken a bit more care with their air flow in their case, quality case, water, third party cooler or, simply decide on an AIB differentiation sku, that improves upon the default, vanilla offerings.

The AMD's ghz edition sku's offer arguably the worlds fastest GPU -- with some trade-offs -- and pretty sure AIB's will offer some competitive and improved sku's -- from a thermal/acoustic stand-point. I respect that AMD is trying to be aggressive.

Fermi, while not as balanced as nVidia may of hoped -- did bring in strong revenue for three families and matured well over time.

 

[Don Karnage]

Hmm...I didn't know that....Guess that's why Tech Report use it as one of their main video card benchmarks.

Because the Tech Report sucks

 

[lavaheadache]

No one cares about Dirt.

not sure what that graph proves other than the 7970 GHZ is the fastest single gpu card out besides AIB factory overclocked cards. IT is a nit pick really though, 7970/680/670 are providing the same performance and only a true fanboy are going to argue how one of those cards is the clear winner

 

[Silverforce11]

not sure what that graph proves other than the 7970 GHZ is the fastest single gpu card out besides AIB factory overclocked cards. IT is a nit pick really though, 7970/680/670 are providing the same performance and only a true fanboy are going to argue how one of those cards is the clear winner

I didn't get that either... in BF3 where its typically an NV advantage, the Ghz ed is even. In games that uses dx11 directcompute, the 7970 wins by nearly double.. i guess there's a price to pay for crippling compute for efficiency.

Now its a toss up, wether directcompute will be used more often in future games..

 

[sontin]

I didn't get that either... in BF3 where its typically an NV advantage, the Ghz ed is even. In games that uses dx11 directcompute, the 7970 wins by nearly double.. i guess there's a price to pay for crippling compute for efficiency.

You know that Battlefield 3 is using DirectCompute, too? Or Crysis 2? Or Dragon Age 2? Or Shogun 2? :\

Taking Dirt:Showdown as an example of the compute performance is like using Batman:AC to show how great kepler is over Tahiti when both using GPU-PhysX...

 

[Homeles]

*retracted*

 

[Silverforce11]

It's an Dx11 standard. How its implemented can't be biased as its not a closed API like PhysX, as long as the codes adhere to open standards. It just happens these "mid-range" Keplers have crippled compute and suffer for it.

Back when Civ 5 was all the rage, it showcased Fermi's advanced compute function that is actually reflected in gaming performance. Now you look at Civ 5 benchmarks, the 7970 is spanking the gtx680 hard.

As for Dirt Showdown, it's an example of making MSAA efficient on a deferred rendering game engine (EGO, Codemasters make a lot of games from it, not just "Dirt"). Guess which other deferred game engine thats currently popular? Frost Bite 2. It suffers hugely with MSAA, and i would not be surprised if DICE implements similar dx11 compute for it.

Re BF3:

AMD's drivers have indeed come a long way to boost BF3 performance compared to release drivers.

 

[Don Karnage]

Funny how BF3's performance can vary wildly based on what level is used to benchmark:

In this one, the 7970 stomps the 680 quite handily.

Love when amd fanboys bust out the super high res. Homeless what percentage of people run 3 screens? Its like 1%. 95% of gamers run a 1920x1080 screen so why should we care about super high res benchmarks?

Getting rather tired of this fanboy crap, Don...
-ViRGE

 

[ShintaiDK]

More like 0.0something%. And I see more and more people abandon 3 screens again, same people that claimed it was the new revolution of gaming. Its just not practical and the "new toy" fun factor quickly goes away for most.

3 screens have always only been halfassed marketing gimmick.

On steam a combined 0.07% uses 3 screen setups. And thats no guarantee they play in it.

 

[SirPauly]

Personally glad that AMD and nVidia offer the multi-monitor feature for their customers.

 

[sontin]

It's an Dx11 standard. How its implemented can't be biased as its not a closed API like PhysX, as long as the codes adhere to open standards. It just happens these "mid-range" Keplers have crippled compute and suffer for it.

DX11 is a API not a implementation set of rules for techniques. How something is implemented has nothing to do with the API.

Back when Civ 5 was all the rage, it showcased Fermi's advanced compute function that is actually reflected in gaming performance. Now you look at Civ 5 benchmarks, the 7970 is spanking the gtx680 hard.

You should look at more reviews...
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6025/radeon-hd-7970-ghz-edition-review-catching-up-to-gtx-680/13
http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/nvidia_gtx680/8.htm
http://www.hardware.fr/articles/869-12/benchmark-civilization-v.html

As for Dirt Showdown, it's an example of making MSAA efficient on a deferred rendering game engine (EGO, Codemasters make a lot of games from it, not just "Dirt"). Guess which other deferred game engine thats currently popular? Frost Bite 2. It suffers hugely with MSAA, and i would not be surprised if DICE implements similar dx11 compute for it.

Ah, that must be the reason why the performance lost of Kepler is a result of the Adv. Lighting option and not of MSAA...
BTW a 6970 is (much) faster than a GTX580. Do you really think it's a compute problem?

 

[YBS1]

I don't mind them busting out the ultra hi-rez benchmarks, but I think it should be a requirement that anyone doing that should themselves in fact be running ultra hi-rez. Otherwise, I instantly label them fanboys in my head. Because quite frankly if you're that into video performance you should be running a 120Hz monitor and they are only available at 1920x1080. I doubt too many people are running three of these, and for the hardcore ones that are they can bust out whatever damn benchmark they please.
People running 1920x1200 or below who bust out crazy resolution benchmarks to bolster their preferred brand just look like hypocrites. I feel the same about stupid high levels of AA as well, we all like AA but come on, at some point it gets to the level of flip two sceenshots back and forth 15 times before you can spot the slightest difference...There is no point to 384 Sample xQ CSSuperMegaAA. lol

 

[SirPauly]

Personally look at 1600P and multi-monitor performance and I game with this 120 hz monitor:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824236206

To establish the highest performing GPU usually entails the highest resolutions and settings. For me, the crown goes to AMD with the 1 ghz edition and as GCN is maturing there is AMD separation at 1600p and multi-monitor resolutions.

Also on adding image quality enhancements, sure, it is tough to gauge them in static comparisons at times but it's where a moving environment is where the differences may be noticed much more.

 

[lavaheadache]

Love when amd fanboys bust out the super high res. Homeless what percentage of people run 3 screens? Its like 1%. 95% of gamers run a 1920x1080 screen so why should we care about super high res benchmarks?

What's funnier is the people who have Sli'ed highend cards for 1080p.

I have a 2560 screen so those benchmarks are very relevant to me. Not everybody is made from the same cookie cutter. Just like how not everyone plays BF3 which some people seem to pretend like that is the only game that exists.

 

[YBS1]

More like 0.0something%. And I see more and more people abandon 3 screens again, same people that claimed it was the new revolution of gaming. Its just not practical and the "new toy" fun factor quickly goes away for most.

3 screens have always only been halfassed marketing gimmick.

On steam a combined 0.07% uses 3 screen setups. And thats no guarantee they play in it.

I think multi-screen might really take off if manufacturers would offer bezel-less 120Hz monitors for a reasonable cost. 120Hz monitors shouldn't cost anymore than twice the price of a similar 60Hz monitor at worst I wouldn't think? The monitor bezels are what has stopped me so far. I just don't want the bars running down my view, or at least I want it minimized.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

What's funnier is the people who have Sli'ed highend cards for 1080p.

I have a 2560 screen so those benchmarks are very relevant to me. Not everybody is made from the same cookie cutter. Just like how not everyone plays BF3 which some people seem to pretend like that is the only game that exists.

Not the only game, just the best one IMO.

 

[Don Karnage]

What's funnier is the people who have Sli'ed highend cards for 1080p.

I have a 2560 screen so those benchmarks are very relevant to me. Not everybody is made from the same cookie cutter. Just like how not everyone plays BF3 which some people seem to pretend like that is the only game that exists.

BF3 gets linked to comparo's because millions of people play the game. If you dont play BF3 you have issues :whiste:

 

[SlowSpyder]

BF3 gets linked to comparo's because millions of people play the game. If you dont play BF3 you have issues :whiste:

I really don't play first person shooters at all... < shrug >

 

[YBS1]

Really though, the problem with ultra hi-rez is that you really need to run Crossfire/SLI anyway in the most demanding games, and we all know AMD's Crossfire sucks.....*runs away/hides* lol

 

[SirPauly]

BF3 gets linked to comparo's because millions of people play the game. If you dont play BF3 you have issues :whiste:

Millions and millions play WoW but the reason BF3 may be benched is its popularity in combination with its PC technical prowess, imho.

 

[Homeles]

Love when amd fanboys bust out the super high res. Homeless what percentage of people run 3 screens? Its like 1%. 95% of gamers run a 1920x1080 screen so why should we care about super high res benchmarks?

[Heck] man, it was an honest mistake. I wasn't paying attention to the res. You of all people should not be pointing the fanboy finger.

And no, as I've stated before, it's not "95%." Go look at the steam survey. It's 25%. If you said "95% use 1080p or lower," you'd be correct.

No profanity in the tech forums, guys
-ViRGE