Radeon HD 7950 Owner's Thread

[Smartazz]

try hwinfo64

Downloaded. Thanks.

 

[Rikard]

I got my Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X today. Its ASIC score is 87.7%. I can run max out benches in Heaven without artifacts with a clock of 1100 MHz. That is without touching the voltage at all. I ran the memory up to 1450 MHz, and it looks like it can go higher, but I see no change in the Heaven scores so I do not think it is worthwhile. I am going to take a look what this baby can do if I give her some more juice.

As to noise, I cannot hear the card at all at 30% fan speed. At 50% it is clearly audible, so I put my fan curve to 40% at 50 C. At 40% its about as loud as my case fans running at minimum RPM. The highest temperature I manage to push to was 54 C, where the fan runs at 45%. However, I am considering just keeping the fan at automatic.

 

[Smartazz]

My Sapphire 7950 has bad coil whine and gets really loud while gaming. I've never returned anything to Newegg. Will I be able to exchange it for an MSI Twin Frozr?

Edit: Talked to Newegg. $51 restocking fee, in that case I'm going to hold onto this card. The coil whine isn't that annoying.

 

[Rikard]

My Sapphire 7950 has bad coil whine and gets really loud while gaming.

At what fan speed and GPU load? Do you have a sound recording, youtube video or similar that can illustrate the coil whine? My Vapor-X is quiet like a mouse, but I heard about coil whine on your model and went for the Vapor-X cooler due to this.

 

[stylez777]

My Sapphire 7950 has bad coil whine and gets really loud while gaming. I've never returned anything to Newegg. Will I be able to exchange it for an MSI Twin Frozr?

Edit: Talked to Newegg. $51 restocking fee, in that case I'm going to hold onto this card. The coil whine isn't that annoying.

Whoa what?? Are you still within the first 30 days of purchase? Newegg has a standard Vga return policy should be no restocking fee for an rma with 30 days. I returned mine to them that had horrible coil whine and they sent me a shipping label and there was no restocking fee. I'd call again and talk to someone else and quote the return policy to them. You should not have to pay a restocking fee for a card that is not functioning properly.

From Newegg website:

VGA Standard Return Policy
Return for refund within: 30 days
Return for replacement within: 30 days
This is our Standard 30-Day Return Policy. Items covered by this policy (those products for which Newegg states "This item may be returned for a replacement or refund within 30 days only") must be returned to Newegg within 30 days of the invoice date for this policy to apply. “Return” constitutes receipt of the product by Newegg, and not the mere issuance of an RMA.

The following conditions are not acceptable for return, and will result in the merchandise you have returned to Newegg being returned to you:
Cards exhibiting physical damage
Cards that are missing the manufacturer label containing model number, part number or serial number
Cards that are missing the manufacturer warranty label
Cards returned without all included accessories, bonus games, and documentation***

 

[Rikard]

I was playing around with Trixx tonight and I am finding this OC pretty nice (Trixx's readings):
GPU clock: 1175 MHz
Memory: 1450 MHz
VDDC: 0.95 V
Power: +20%

I can go higher on both clock speed and memory, but while my Heaven score increases I am starting to see a drop in min FPS so I backed down a bit. I have plenty of room to increase the voltage, but why really?

Benchmark results (with beta 7 drivers):
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4956726

This is my first AMD card, and I am very happy with it so far!

Specs in signature

 

[Rvenger]

Edit: Talked to Newegg. $51 restocking fee, in that case I'm going to hold onto this card. The coil whine isn't that annoying.

I would talk to someone else. They can take care of that for you and get you a full refund. Sometimes speaking to another rep can make a big difference. If the coil whine is bad I think its still possible to return without penalty.

 

[Smartazz]

I would talk to someone else. They can take care of that for you and get you a full refund. Sometimes speaking to another rep can make a big difference. If the coil whine is bad I think its still possible to return without penalty.

Problem is that the coil whine is only there when I overclock is a lot. I doubt that count for an RMA.

 

[lehtv]

I got my Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X today. Its ASIC score is 87.7%. I can run max out benches in Heaven without artifacts with a clock of 1100 MHz. That is without touching the voltage at all.

At what power limit is that, and what are your VRM temps at that power limit? On my Vapor-X, power limit determines voltage, and voltage control is otherwise locked. At power limit +20, VRM1 goes over 90C.

I was able to run Heaven benches at 1100MHz as well but it turned out that the memory clock isn't stable at its basic 1250MHz and I can't set it any lower than that due to CCC limit. This little monster of a card is going back to monster factory... Anyway looks like you got a decent sample.

 

[Rikard]

At what power limit is that, and what are your VRM temps at that power limit? On my Vapor-X, power limit determines voltage, and voltage control is otherwise locked. At power limit +20, VRM1 goes over 90C.

I was able to run Heaven benches at 1100MHz as well but it turned out that the memory clock isn't stable at its basic 1250MHz and I can't set it any lower than that due to CCC limit. This little monster of a card is going back to monster factory... Anyway looks like you got a decent sample.

My experience is very different from yours I am afraid. I am using power limit +20, but my temps are nowhere near as high as yours. Take a look at this snapshot after about 30 min of stress testing.

(Why I said 0.95 V in Trixx is due to that this settings gives 1.02 V in GPU-Z.) My GPU and VRM temps are reasonably low at 47% fan speed, which is the point where the video card starts being the loudest component of the system.
I wonder if my lower temperature could be influenced by my fan setup:

My two fans marked in red are linked to GPU temperature so if it blows over the VRM their temps could be lower due to that. Also the upper drive cage is removed so fan A is blowing directly onto the card with a constant 7 V feed.

Before you RMA the card could you please check these things:

• ASIC score
• 12 V rail effective voltage under load
• Are you connecting the two 8-pin connector directly to the PSU or via an adapter?
• Are your temps still that high with the side panels off?

 

[lehtv]

Wow, nice VRM temps. How is it even possible that there's a 30 degree difference in VRM1 temps between two cards of the same model? My VDDC reading in GPU-Z is lower than yours, under 1000mV. My ASIC is over 90%. My fan spins over 50% at +20 on auto even on 0 power limit.

This is seriously fcked.

Before you RMA the card could you please check these things:

Hold on, I'm not RMA'ing the card because of temperatures. I'm RMA'ing it because it's not stable at stock clocks and power limit 0. It produces artifacts, and core temp is under 60C and VRM under 70C at these default settings in Heaven 3.0. It also produces artifacts and texture errors in games where GPU load isn't that high.

• ASIC score
• 12 V rail effective voltage under load
• Are you connecting the two 8-pin connector directly to the PSU or via an adapter?
• Are your temps still that high with the side panels off?

ASIC is 90.6%.
12V is regulated within 2-3%.
No adapters used, besides it's 6+8 pin not 8+8pin.
Temps are the same with the side panel off.

 

[Smartazz]

I don't think it's coil whine I was getting. The noise is only shows up when fan speed is around 50%. I have it set to 75% when gaming and the noise is gone.

 

[Rikard]

ASIC is 90.6%.
12V is regulated within 2-3%.
No adapters used, besides it's 6+8 pin not 8+8pin.
Temps are the same with the side panel off.

That ASIC is one of the best I have seen listed and your card should be a good overclocker so there is definitely something fishy here. It is interesting that you have a 6+8 pin model, while I have a 8+8 pin, so we actually have quite different cards after all! On my box it says 11196-09-40G, do you have the same?

One thing that is now worth mentioning is that when I was going to order my card, the French retailer I ordered from ran out of stock and it took about a week for them to get the new cards. I did not think much about it but after reading this about the 7870

Sapphire, more responsive now, tells us that it has now rectified the production issue, has recalled stock from French etailers and smoothed the returns procedure even when after sales doesn’t manage to reproduce the problem

Source: http://www.behardware.com/html/news/cat4/page1.html
I am beginning to think that maybe they did not sell out, but they might have had a shipment pulled and replaced by fixed cards also for the 7950...

 

[Rikard]

It is interesting that you have a 6+8 pin model, while I have a 8+8 pin, so we actually have quite different cards after all! On my box it says 11196-09-40G, do you have the same?

In addition, you said your card was voltage locked. Mine isn't. If you RMA you'd better make sure you get the 8+8 pin card and both your problems should be solved.

 

[3DVagabond]

That ASIC is one of the best I have seen listed and your card should be a good overclocker so there is definitely something fishy here. It is interesting that you have a 6+8 pin model, while I have a 8+8 pin, so we actually have quite different cards after all! On my box it says 11196-09-40G, do you have the same?

One thing that is now worth mentioning is that when I was going to order my card, the French retailer I ordered from ran out of stock and it took about a week for them to get the new cards. I did not think much about it but after reading this about the 7870

Source: http://www.behardware.com/html/news/cat4/page1.html
I am beginning to think that maybe they did not sell out, but they might have had a shipment pulled and replaced by fixed cards also for the 7950...

They are talking about Sapphire 7870's only that had pcb components that were causing black screens. Something they used, presumably as a cost cutting procedure, rather than the components AMD recommended. The 7950 has never been reported with the same problem. Careful, this is how false rumors get started.

I find it really interesting that you have a 7950 with 2x8pin connectors. I've never heard of such a card.

 

[lehtv]

It is interesting that you have a 6+8 pin model, while I have a 8+8 pin, so we actually have quite different cards after all! On my box it says 11196-09-40G, do you have the same?

That's what it says on the box. I checked the card too, it just says 11196-09. Does yours have the -40G suffix on the card?

 

[Rikard]

That's what it says on the box. I checked the card too, it just says 11196-09. Does yours have the -40G suffix on the card?

No, same as you. -40G suffix on the box, no suffix on the card. Sapphire are not making it easy to compare coolers and PCB for end users...

 

[Rikard]

They are talking about Sapphire 7870's only that had pcb components that were causing black screens. Something they used, presumably as a cost cutting procedure, rather than the components AMD recommended. The 7950 has never been reported with the same problem. Careful, this is how false rumors get started.

Yes I know. One of the reasons for not going for a 7870 was that this problem has nothing to do with 79xx series. However, the very strange difference in my and lehtv's cards, combined with that my Vapor-X disappeared from the French retailer right after the article said that French retailers had their 7870's pulled and replace at least has me wondering if there wasn't a separate, unrelated, problem that got treated the same way as the 7870...

I find it really interesting that you have a 7950 with 2x8pin connectors. I've never heard of such a card.

Just google it. There are plenty of them out there. I can take a picture of mine when I get home tonight.

 

[Rikard]

I can take a picture of mine when I get home tonight.

As promised:

Never mind the mess, or the bad focus for that matter

 

[3DVagabond]

As promised:

Never mind the mess, or the bad focus for that matter

Thanks. That's a funky card, mate. A 7950 that's set up to draw 375W. What were they thinking? Especially considering the models I've seen reviewed and the ones for sale on Newegg have all been 6+8.

Have you sent a support ticket to Sapphire yet? I'd like to know what their response is.

 

[Rikard]

Thanks. That's a funky card, mate. A 7950 that's set up to draw 375W. What were they thinking? Especially considering the models I've seen reviewed and the ones for sale on Newegg have all been 6+8.

Are you sure? For example:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...50%20vapor%20x

I was actually more surprised that lehtv did not have 8+8 pin, but I must admit the connector was the first thing I looked at when unboxing.

Have you sent a support ticket to Sapphire yet? I'd like to know what their response is.

I am letting lehtv do that, since I have no problem with my card.

One thing I noticed is that there is not a single picture of the card on the outside of the box. Is that common? Could Sapphire be shipping two different cards with the same SKU and the same box?

 

[lehtv]

Are you sure? For example:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...50%20vapor%20x

According to the photo, that's 6+8 pin, but the specs say 2x8pin. Looks like the SKU is updated but the old photos remain.

I am letting lehtv do that, since I have no problem with my card.

I'm not going to bother with a support ticket, I'm just sending it to RMA via my reseller and hopefully get my money back. I've already bought a replacement Sapphire Dual-X which should arrive in a day or two.

 

[Rikard]

Just to add to the already confusing situation; on my box (which contained a card with 8+8 pin) it is written
"500 W or greater power supply with one 150 W 8-pin PCI Express power connector and one 75 W 6-pin PCI Express power connector recommended"
Not sure if that is supposed to mean that it has 8+6 pin connector, or that you need atleast to plug in 8+6 pin in the 8+8 pin connector, but there is definitely no mention of 8+8 pin anywhere...

Oh well, I guess I got lucky!

 

[3DVagabond]

Are you sure? For example:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...50%20vapor%20x

I was actually more surprised that lehtv did not have 8+8 pin, but I must admit the connector was the first thing I looked at when unboxing.

I am letting lehtv do that, since I have no problem with my card.

One thing I noticed is that there is not a single picture of the card on the outside of the box. Is that common? Could Sapphire be shipping two different cards with the same SKU and the same box?

The pics show a card with 6+8. The description says 8+8. Interesting? I know the 7970 is 2x8pin. Maybe they've decided to use the same PCB for both, but originally had different PCB's?

 

[Rvenger]

The pics show a card with 6+8. The description says 8+8. Interesting? I know the 7970 is 2x8pin. Maybe they've decided to use the same PCB for both, but originally had different PCB's?

Actually the reference is 1x 8 and 1x 6 pin. That VaporX card is very unique.