Official HD6990 Review Thread (*updated* with 21 reviews at this time)

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apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
34,890
1
0
alienbabeltech.com
Are you sure? Evey web site I read said differently, including this one.:hmm:

"Quote from Anandtech article............

". The switch on the 6990 is slightly recessed, not by enough to make it hard to hit but enough that you’ll never accidentally hit it. Flipping the switch would need to be a conscientious action, which makes sense given the fact that doing so would void the card’s warranty"
Well, i know what i heard but since i didn't record the meeting, i asked AMD for clarification and just got it; evidently you *are screwed* if you remove your sticker. Frankly, if i knew that was said at the meeting was just speculative PR bullsh!t, i would have tested HD 6990 in the non-overclocked setting - and then Power Tune is automatically disabled.
:'(

i still can update my article and clarify this and add another negative to my conclusion.
 

Dark Shroud

Golden Member
Mar 26, 2010
1,576
1
0
Basically you need to check with the different vendors on their warranties for the card before you buy let alone over clock.
 

notty22

Diamond Member
Jan 1, 2010
3,375
0
0
Well, i know what i heard but since i didn't record the meeting, i asked AMD for clarification and just got it; evidently you *are screwed* if you remove your sticker. Frankly, if i knew that was said at the meeting was just speculative PR bullsh!t, i would have tested HD 6990 in the non-overclocked setting - and then Power Tune is automatically disabled.
:'(

i still can update my article and clarify this and add another negative to my conclusion.

The whole situation is controversial. I understand maybe why ? The customer return rate on these things probably kills any profit. Running the card at 880mhz only 50mhz higher than stock 830mhz (warranty-able) is troubling.
 

BFG10K

Lifer
Aug 14, 2000
22,709
3,007
126
This thing is definitely a furnace but amazingly it still has some thermal properties better than a single GTX480 (e.g. idle power consumption). It just goes to show what a leaky bucket the GTX480 is.
 

apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
34,890
1
0
alienbabeltech.com
This thing is definitely a furnace but amazingly it still has some thermal properties better than a single GTX480 (e.g. idle power consumption). It just goes to show what a leaky bucket the GTX480 is.
And your GTX 480 is quiet in comparison when the HD 6990 readies for takeoff.

Predicting the near-future, i see you getting a GTX 580 as an upgrade next month. Actually, i am quite sure of it.
D:
WHAT PART OF YOU ARE SCREWED IF YOU REMOVE THE STICKER did you not understand? :D Sorry for caps.
All of my future testing will be done with the card in the non-OD position. If i were considering one of these (and who isn't going to flip the switch?), i'd make damn sure to find out which partner stands behind their product.
:\
 

happy medium

Lifer
Jun 8, 2003
14,387
480
126
All of my future testing will be done with the card in the non-OD position. If i were considering one of these (and who isn't going to flip the switch?), i'd make damn sure to find out which partner stands behind their product.

Well a little bird told me that factory overclocked 6990 cards from board parteners are comming soon. :) So mabe its a non issue?
 

3DVagabond

Lifer
Aug 10, 2009
11,951
204
106
WHAT PART OF YOU ARE SCREWED IF YOU REMOVE THE STICKER did you not understand? :D Sorry for caps.

What part of you don't RMA your card to AMD did you not understand? ;)

You need to check with the vendor for their warranty coverage. Also with your AG to find out what warranty limitations, if any, are allowed.
 

apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
34,890
1
0
alienbabeltech.com
Well a little bird told me that factory overclocked 6990 cards from board parteners are comming soon. :) So mabe its a non issue?
Well, if i get an overclocked HD 6990 from a partner, then i will run it at speeds it is warrantied for. When doing my *regular* testing, i will set the switch back to it's non-ASUM position.

i don't worry about what AMD or Nvidia sends me - i overclock it as far as i can with no concern for a warranty because i don't get one

.. however, if i spent over $700 on a card, i would want to know its warranty status and AMD was not forthcoming in their meeting to the tech editors.
 

96Firebird

Diamond Member
Nov 8, 2010
5,749
345
126
This seems a little shady to me...

Get the OC reviews out there, then say "Oops, just kidding, flicking that switch voids the warranty!"

If Nvidia did that, the forum would be up in arms...
 

badb0y

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2010
4,015
30
91
This seems a little shady to me...

Get the OC reviews out there, then say "Oops, just kidding, flicking that switch voids the warranty!"

If Nvidia did that, the forum would be up in arms...

Realistically though it's not like this card wasn't thrashing the GTX 580 before flicking the switch but I do feel they should have come forth with that information right off the bat.
 

ShadowOfMyself

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2006
4,227
2
0
I was just reading this part of AT review where it says

"AMD calls it the AUSUM switch (Antilles Unlocking Switch for Uber Mode)"

What is this? Are we 10 year old kids here? AMD always manages to come up with the cheesiest names possible... As if CrossfireX wasnt bad enough, now we have an AWESOME switch that enables UBER MODE... Sounds about right

And all that comes with that ub3rn3ss is another 3 fps...

/facepalm
 

badb0y

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2010
4,015
30
91
I was just reading this part of AT review where it says

"AMD calls it the AUSUM switch (Antilles Unlocking Switch for Uber Mode)"

What is this? Are we 10 year old kids here? AMD always manages to come up with the cheesiest names possible... As if CrossfireX wasnt bad enough, now we have an AWESOME switch that enables UBER MODE... Sounds about right

And all that comes with that ub3rn3ss is another 3 fps...

/facepalm
I thought it was pretty cool lol...
 

3DVagabond

Lifer
Aug 10, 2009
11,951
204
106
I was just reading this part of AT review where it says

"AMD calls it the AUSUM switch (Antilles Unlocking Switch for Uber Mode)"

What is this? Are we 10 year old kids here? AMD always manages to come up with the cheesiest names possible... As if CrossfireX wasnt bad enough, now we have an AWESOME switch that enables UBER MODE... Sounds about right

And all that comes with that ub3rn3ss is another 3 fps...

/facepalm


AMD has started something with the BIOS switch. By next year, all performance cards will have one. You might as well either accept it or buy a console. :p
 

ShadowOfMyself

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2006
4,227
2
0
The point wasnt about the switch itself but their terrible naming :p Theyve always been bad at names but this... Cmon, Id feel ashamed if it was my product
 

Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,110
64
91
I read that review, it totally sucked,thats why I didn't add it to the OP.:thumbsdown:

This should not be the policy of the person who is managing a stickied thread.

Expectations are that you add review links to the OP. That's it.

You can, of course, discuss the merits of the reviews as you see fit as a matter of discussion within the thread.

But that is a seperate responsibility from that of dispositioning your duties as manager of a stickied thread.

Moderator Idontcare
 
Last edited:

Kriz

Member
Jan 5, 2003
158
0
0
anyone know if the 6990 would fit in an antec three hundred case? motherboard is a gigabyte X58A-UD3R

I have the 5870 now and even that is a pretty snug fit