Who bought/is buying a Radeon RX 480?

[Stuka87]

So I received my 1060 today, but when I try to setup my wallpaper (I usually get high quality photos from interfacelift), the images appeared washed-out to me...Or am I illusion? I download the same images I previously used and I remember they look much sharper on my 5 year old HD 6950...I see some white tinting effects on images, web browsing, and just everything in general. Any ideas what's going on? Or I have to set up correctly. I don't know how to tweet the GPU to make images look sharper and just more colorful for lack of a better word.

Edit: Yes, I'm 100% certain now, for some reason, screen look washed-out. When I go to my school website, the landscapes and people look bland to me, like lost of color saturation or something. I have not change any settings on my monitor tho...what's going on.

This will have huge impact on indie games as graphics are their selling point. Welp

I think you meant to put this in the 1060 thread? Which has a name that looks almost identical to this one.

 

[ScottAD]

Bit of a premium but it just went up. Seller has good reviews...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SAPPHIRE-NI...653184?hash=item281e74a6c0:g:e7wAAOSwU-pXtHkJ

Edit: And gone.

 

[NomanA]

Just got my new Sapphire RX480 Nitro+ 4GB in and installed

Oh, and the DVI port is not a dual link DVI, which is a bummer. Means I need to buy a display port cable, until then I am stuck at 60Hz

Sapphire's website says it's a dual-link DVI connector. From the pictures in reviews, that seems to be the case too.

How did you determine that it's not? Are you trying to overclock a monitor, and if so, have you used tools like CRU to add higher refresh rates?

 

[Stuka87]

Sapphire's website says it's a dual-link DVI connector. From the pictures in reviews, that seems to be the case too.

How did you determine that it's not? Are you trying to overclock a monitor, and if so, have you used tools like CRU to add higher refresh rates?

I had been using a dual link DVI cable with my 7950 for my display to drive it at 144Hz (its a Asus VG248QE with native 144Hz refresh that I typically have at 85Hz for normal usage). Worked fine for the last two years. Got the new card yesterday, plugged it in, and end up with a bunch of funky looking colors. My display then had an OSD pop up saying "please use a dual-link DVI cable". I know the cable is dual link, since it has been working. Only change was the card. I have a display port cable on order, using HDMI in the mean time.

 

[tential]

Just got my new Sapphire RX480 Nitro+ 4GB in and installed. First thing I noticed is the fans are typically OFF when just surfing the web. Which is cool, even when they do kick on I really cannot hear them when they are on low. And I have the case side off, and the case is RIGHT next to my display. So its very noticeable if I can hear it. But note I have not gamed for a prolonged time to see how hot/loud it can get.

Oh, and the DVI port is not a dual link DVI, which is a bummer. Means I need to buy a display port cable, until then I am stuck at 60Hz

Here are some quick wattage comparisons taken at the wall with a Kill-a-watt with zero tweaking, out of the box.

Sapphire HD7950 900MHz:
Stock Idle: 70W
1100MHz Idle: 72W
Stock Youtube: 80W
Witcher 3 Stock: 220W
Witcher 3 1100MHz: 300W

RX480 Nitro+ 4GB 1306MHz
Idle: 90W
Witcher 3: 265W (old lower settings used with 7950)
Witcher 3: 290W (Max settings)
YouTube: 140W

Power Efficiency ON:
Idle: 90W
Witcher 3: 237W (Max settings)
YouTube: 128W

I have a Sapphire Nitro and it's a power hog compared to my reference cards.

AMD focused on reducing power consumption and this is the result. Completely unimpressed.

 

[Stuka87]

AMD focused on reducing power consumption and this is the result. Completely unimpressed.

Well, using my old 7950 as the comparison for if AMD lowered power consumption is not a proper comparison. This card replaces the 390/390X, which both used significantly more power than the 480.

 

[tential]

Well, using my old 7950 as the comparison for if AMD lowered power consumption is not a proper comparison. This card replaces the 390/390X, which both used significantly more power than the 480.

What I said absolutely stands. The rx480 is a power hog. 50 watts to play YouTube is a joke.

"it uses less power than a 390x!"

That should never be a selling point to any gpu buyer.

Would love to see a 390/x in your rig for comparison.

 

[NomanA]

I had been using a dual link DVI cable with my 7950 for my display to drive it at 144Hz (its a Asus VG248QE with native 144Hz refresh that I typically have at 85Hz for normal usage). Worked fine for the last two years. Got the new card yesterday, plugged it in, and end up with a bunch of funky looking colors. My display then had an OSD pop up saying "please use a dual-link DVI cable". I know the cable is dual link, since it has been working. Only change was the card. I have a display port cable on order, using HDMI in the mean time.

I have seen marginal DVI cables which work fine (in dual-link mode) only on certain setup. If your card doesn't give 1080p 144Hz with multiple dual-link DVI-D cables, then Sapphire should replace it.

 

[Stuka87]

What I said absolutely stands. The rx480 is a power hog. 50 watts to play YouTube is a joke.

"it uses less power than a 390x!"

That should never be a selling point to any gpu buyer.

Would love to see a 390/x in your rig for comparison.

I agree that the YouTube usage is much higher than it should be. And I am not sure why it bumps the clock up so much for that. I can technically fix it, but really it should not need it.

I have seen marginal DVI cables which work fine (in dual-link mode) only on certain setup. If your card doesn't give 1080p 144Hz with multiple dual-link DVI-D cables, then Sapphire should replace it.

Yeah, will see if I can find another. This is the cable that came with the monitor.

 

[EXCellR8]

If newegg could keep the NITRO in stock that would be greaaaaaat. kthx

 

[Stuka87]

You know, I think the high YouTube wattage is because of the memory. The memory doesn't step at all. It goes from idle to full speed soon as the GPU does anything other than base 2d. Because the GPU clock stays pretty low.

 

[SketchMaster]

Anyone else having issues with high feq monitors? Just got a new 144Hz Acer in today that flickers like mad when set above 60Hz. Turns out I'm not the only one with this issue.

 

[IEC]

Seems like a long shot, but are you using a certified DP cable (like Accell?). I had inexplicable issues with an el cheapo DP cable that went away after switching to a certified $19.99 Accell DP cable. YMMV.

 

[YBS1]

1390/2250, 1400 is a no go. I did find out there is an unlocked BIOS that supposedly allows for up to 1.4v, up from 1.15v stock. That should push past 1400 easy.
Compare Link

 

[Stuka87]

I have seen marginal DVI cables which work fine (in dual-link mode) only on certain setup. If your card doesn't give 1080p 144Hz with multiple dual-link DVI-D cables, then Sapphire should replace it.

Tried another DVI cable and its working fine. So guess it was because of the cable.

 

[Rifter]

Anyone else feeling like this is the worst paper launch in history? sure you may be able to snag a ref card if you dont mind blowers but AIB's should be out by now.

 

[ozzy702]

Anyone else feeling like this is the worst paper launch in history? sure you may be able to snag a ref card if you dont mind blowers but AIB's should be out by now.

It's been pretty bad. Either supply is terrible or demand is extremely high. Newegg and Amazon sell out very quickly even when using nowinstock. I grabbed another reference 480 today but it was a battle. I missed out on two opportunities and was Johnny on the spot with ordering but within one minute of the browser alarm going off two models were sold out today while in my cart. Thankfully the third time was the charm and I grabbed one.

I can't remember another time like this months after launch.

 

[Stuka87]

It's been pretty bad. Either supply is terrible or demand is extremely high. Newegg and Amazon sell out very quickly even when using nowinstock. I grabbed another reference 480 today but it was a battle. I missed out on two opportunities and was Johnny on the spot with ordering but within one minute of the browser alarm going off two models were sold out today while in my cart. Thankfully the third time was the charm and I grabbed one.

I can't remember another time like this months after launch.

R9 290 launch. Miners were buying every single one of them. Demand was so high that prices went well over MSRP. Lasted, what, 2-3 months until the bitcoin bubble popped.

 

[Yakk]

Pretty much every new major AMD GPU launch brings mining back in the spotlight. Can't imagine if AMD were to have gone high-end GPU first, it would've been a bloodbath fight for every card.

Now the 480 is relatively easy to buy 2 at a time, with nowinstock. Otherwise yeah it would be hard getting those 15 minute windows to buy them.

 

[YBS1]

1390/2250, 1400 is a no go. I did find out there is an unlocked BIOS that supposedly allows for up to 1.4v, up from 1.15v stock. That should push past 1400 easy.

LOL, 1426MHz right out of the gate on first attempt with unlocked BIOS.

 

[Madpacket]

LOL, 1426MHz right out of the gate on first attempt with unlocked BIOS.

Makes me want to slap a water block on my reference 4GB flashed to 8GB XFX card. Given the price I paid for the card I could almost justify it. I also have a Corsair H105 sitting in my shelf unopnened. Was going to use it for my X99 build but the Noctua NH-D14 is working good enough. Wonder if there's an easy way to mount a CLC on a reference 480...

1450+ / 2250 would give the card a nice boost.

 

[ozzy702]

Well, out of my four powercolor reference cards, three are duds and require significantly more power to remain stable than my msi, gigabyte, and sapphire cards. Anyone else notice the same or was it just bad luck? These cards were all purchased at different times over the past two months.

 

[YBS1]

Bad luck I suppose, mine is a PowerColor. Though I don't know if mine would be considered a good, average or below average sample. I'd imagine all reference cards are pure luck of the draw. In fact, it may have changed by now but if you have a reference card give your PowerColor, XFX, MSI, etc. sticker on the fan a pull....tada! Radeon sticker underneath. All are just pure reference cards that rolled down the same line and had stickers put on them later.

 

[ozzy702]

Bad luck I suppose, mine is a PowerColor. Though I don't know if mine would be considered a good, average or below average sample. I'd imagine all reference cards are pure luck of the draw. In fact, it may have changed by now but if you have a reference card give your PowerColor, XFX, MSI, etc. sticker on the fan a pull....tada! Radeon sticker underneath. All are just pure reference cards that rolled down the same line and had stickers put on them later.

I realize that reference cards should all be the same being that they should all be manufactured in the same plant, use the same chips, memory, etc but so far only the powercooler cards I have are finicky although it's out of a fairly small sample size of 20 cards.

 

[guskline]

YBS1, first thank you for the work and info posted on this forum concerning your watercooling of the RX 480. The "headroom" for overclocking appears limited and brings into question the "bang for the buck" question.

Though the price for an EK waterblock for the GTX1080/980TI SC and RX480 is very close, the cards themselves have a large difference in price.

Other than a gpu water block, I have most of the custom gear to turn the 6700k rig into a complete water cooled system. I think I'm going to stay stock on the GPU considering the limit on OCing.