Is there something wrong with 7950 reliability?

[futurefields]

I see a lot more "something wrong with my 7950" than other gpu models what is going on?

 

[24601]

Because 7950 comes stock at 1.25v

7970 comes stock 1.175v

7950 is the highest stock voltage card in AMD's lineup.

Lowest ASIC quality 7950 is around 40% atm

Lowest ASIC quality 7970 is around 60% atm

 

[Rvenger]

I see a lot more "something wrong with my 7950" than other gpu models what is going on?

Overvolting and overclocking will weaken the lifespan of the graphics card. Sometimes when you push them too far you introduce electromigration. I bet the 6+6 Pin models probably cannot handle the current that some are putting through them.

 

[futurefields]

If i dont OC i shouldnt have problem?

Im looking at sapphire 7950 + FSP Aurum Gold 600 watt

 

[Arkadrel]

I see a lot more "something wrong with my 7950" than other gpu models what is going on?

It like the 7850, are models people buy to overclock the hell out of.

People that buy the 7870, and 7970, dont overclock as much.
Thats why they buy the top performance, and keep near stock levels.



That said I dont really think there is any reliability issue.
I dont "see" what you do, that being many 7950 threads about reliability.


Too threads on the first page, of Anandtech video card forums has 7950 issues.

first thread:
Need help for repair my Ati Hd7950

Then I decide check my Vga Hd7950, and then I found problem...
Two smd components (Resistor or Capacimeter), missing in Card.

The person that sold him the card (DELL), was a shady business man, selling him a damaged card.


Secound thread:
7950 ... is my card about to die ( long sry )

long story short :
His card started throttleing when overclocked past a point, it didnt used to do.
This means he thinks its "dyeing" when it probably isnt.

This missing Smd no appears broken, this missing Smd appears removed by Dell for use Vga at 8X in Computer Dell.

This sounds more like a What the hell is "DELL" doing thing, than a 7950 thing.

 

[Face2Face]

I do think part of it has to do with Quality control. Remember BFG? yeah theirs was the worst and we all know what happened to them. It also seems nowadays they are using lower quality chips, which I assume they purchase for cheaper in order to maintain decent profit.
My first MSI TF3 card was supposed to be a jewel. Stock voltage of 0.993 and a ASIC of 93%. After gaming for a couple hours, artifacts where everywhere on the screen at stock settings and it ran pretty hot as well. Needless to say it went back....

 

[superccs]

Popular card? Mine is fast but has some weird behavior with the HDMI audio driver. I think the drivers are just a little borked at the moment.

Regarding voltage: 1.25 is not the stock voltage for all 7950s mine is 1.095

 

[24601]

Popular card? Mine is fast but has some weird behavior with the HDMI audio driver. I think the drivers are just a little borked at the moment.

Regarding voltage: 1.25 is not the stock voltage for all 7950s mine is 1.095

I'm talking about currently. Early 2012 is different set of binned chips compared to Late 2012, and also a different set of binned chips compared to Early 2013.

Using cards with ASIC quality as low as 40% is telling.

 

[Stuka87]

Originally I did not think this is the case, but now am. And thats that the 7950 ASIC quality has dropped over the last year. That does not mean they are unreliable, just that they will not overclock as well as early cards. I bought mine the first week of availability (or maybe it was the second, I forget). But its been over a year anyway. Mine, running at 1100MHz is at a lower voltage than current 7950's are at stock. If that tells you anything.

 

[Rvenger]

Originally I did not think this is the case, but now am. And thats that the 7950 ASIC quality has dropped over the last year. That does not mean they are unreliable, just that they will not overclock as well as early cards. I bought mine the first week of availability (or maybe it was the second, I forget). But its been over a year anyway. Mine, running at 1100MHz is at a lower voltage than current 7950's are at stock. If that tells you anything.

ASIC score has to do with Voltage/Power consumption/leakage. Not frequency.

 

[Stuka87]

ASIC score has to do with Voltage/Power consumption/leakage. Not frequency.

Right, and the fact that I can run at a higher frequency with less power consumption shows the ASIC is better quality...

 

[futurefields]

Should i wait till 8950

 

[Stuka87]

Should i wait till 8950

If you don't mind waiting a year.

 

[Rvenger]

Right, and the fact that I can run at a higher frequency with less power consumption shows the ASIC is better quality...

I had an 88% ASIC TF3 7950 that could not do 1125mhz at any voltage. I had an 85.5% ASIC TF3 7950 that did 1225mhz core with 1.14v. High ASIC does not mean better overclocker at all.

 

[Face2Face]

I had an 88% ASIC TF3 7950 that could not do 1125mhz at any voltage. I had an 85.5% ASIC TF3 7950 that did 1225mhz core with 1.14v. High ASIC does not mean better overclocker at all.

True. All it means is that it can do it's stock Frequencies at a lower voltage and potential overclocks with lower voltage. My current card will do 1250 core @ 1.175 volts - but there is no guarantee that a High ASIC quality card will overclock that high.

 

[Skurge]

The higher the leakage the better overclocking. I thought this was common knowledge.

 

[Eureka]

It could also be that the 7950 is generally bought as an overclocking card. Every time someone brings up a 7950, there's a good chance that OC is in the same sentence.

Part of it might be that they were cut 7970s in the first place. Could just be that they were 7970s that failed QC...

 

[3DVagabond]

I don't know why anyone is trying to come up with explanations for a higher "problem" rate with 7950's when it hasn't been established that there is one.

As far as asic quality goes, again zero evidence it has any effect what so ever on any performance parameter.

 

[Nomercy1]

Secound thread:
7950 ... is my card about to die ( long sry )

long story short :
His card started throttleing when overclocked past a point, it didnt used to do.
This means he thinks its "dyeing" when it probably isnt.

The card is actually throttling at stock speeds.... so yea