AMD RX 490

[FlyingTexan]

Does anyone know what the price point and target of this card is? Is the 490 supposed to give the Nvidia 1080 a run for it's money? Also between the two brands does one seem to do better than the other regarding SLI/crossfire?

I was reading that the RX 490 is expected to be a dual Polaris 10 GPU on the same card so also wondering if that's going to operate like crossfire or just be seen as one card.

 

[Alaric]

From what I can gather, we have a wait to find out http://wccftech.com/amd-rx-490-4k-gaming-card/ I'll be getting a GTX. If I wait for the RX 490, by then there will be yet another latest and greatest in the pipeline from somebody and on and on. I don't want to get "tech lock" and get stuck in a Moebius strip of anticipation. LOL

 

[EarthDog]

Id imagine it will operate like Crossfire still.

 

[FlyingTexan]

You're currently rocking the Rx480 are you not happy with it? Why not just get a second 480? Your system specs looking very close to what I'm considering building. I might hold off for ZEN and go with an 8 core CPU as it looks like Dx12 could help take advantage of that. Not a huge gamer but might as well put something in there I can use for 1440 gaming when I do.

 

[Alaric]

I love my RX 480, and at 1080p there isn't that much real world improvement to go. But, I'd like to eventually get a better display and a GTX 1070 will take advantage of that without the Xfire issues, and not all games use two cards. That, and an all white card will look soooo good in my rig.

 

[FlyingTexan]

isn't 1440 about as high as anyone wants to go on a regular monitor? I'm in the process of designing my own system for everyday use as well as gaming so can't decide if I should do i7-6700, i7-6800, or wait for ZEN and do an entire AMD system, which I'd love to since that was my first ever build. I'm not in a rush currently and frankly I'm always worried about future proofing because it never seems to happen. Trying to build a 5yr system seems like a joke when you could probably build 2 2.5yr systems and have newer and better performing technology. I figure for the price the 480 would be a 1440 card but I could be wrong. Something scaleable wouldn't be bad either given how cheap it is. The 8 core zen with HT really has me chomping though if it has a 40% IPC boost over current processors that's going be a great setup.

 

[EarthDog]

The 480 really isn't much of a 2560x1440 card really. It will do OK now, but in 2 years it will choke on some titles. I really think a 1070+ is good for 2560x1440 for 3 years. I'm also not one to throw another card at things either. It can complicate things on so many fronts.

 

[Alaric]

The 480 will drive a 1440 display, although it appears a GTX 1060 will do better except when using DX12, but that is based on very limited data from checking here http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1748?vs=1771 The 1070 compared to the 480 here http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1748?vs=1731 My choices certainly don't reflect anyone else' needs, either. I have zero complaints about my 480. For $249 it was an amazing upgrade for me. It will end up in my daughter's rig as soon as I get my 1070 and will be a great card again. I have a specific 1070 in mind for specific reasons, not all of which are performance. There is a lot of "I want" as opposed to "I need".

40% IPC boost over current processors

I think that would be over current AMD processors. We're still looking at 3 generations behind current Intel chips.

 

[FlyingTexan]

I think that would be over current AMD processors. We're still looking at 3 generations behind current Intel chips.

Yea I knew they meant AMD processors however 3 generations behind the intel chips might be a stretch. Will have to wait and see but there are demo chips already out there and people seem to be pretty happy with them. Everyone acts like they edit 4k video all day but the reality is I'm just wanting a good system that can play 1440 and a new range of processors and modern motherboard will make that happen by not being the bottleneck. I just wish I knew more about the rx490. I'm also very curious if some guru out there can tell how efficient the current polaris GPU is being utilized. Kind of like the PS3 and how it never reached it's full potential or how AMD came out with drivers for the R390 that bumped up it's numbers by 1/3rd. If the current Rx480 still has a lot of meat on the bone and just needs better drivers to show it's potential then I'll be all over it. 40% IPC jump is a great stat but the ZEN is also based on technology used in the PS4 and Xbox one which intel couldn't touch. With DX12 pooling GPUs this might be a monster.

I will say that I think AMD is poised to really takeover a lot of the market. Low heat and low price point with decent performance has apple looking at them hard for the new imac refresh and potential new macbooks. Should be an interesting next few months.

 

[Alaric]

Good point on the drivers. AMD releases a lot of drivers. While I haven't always had their new drivers work, I have no complaints so far with the 480. I had one graphics driver crash since I got it, but that could have been a conflicting problem with a W10 update or something. It hasn't occurred again and the card games great.

Yea I knew they meant AMD processors however 3 generations behind the intel chips might be a stretch.

Not really. The improvements hinted at from AMD don't put it on par with Haswell or Skylake from what I've read. Granted, we won't know until they're released, and AMD could always surprise us. Sometimes sorting through the hype and ad speak make it difficult to know what is what.

 

[Woomack]

With the speed how AMD releases any new products you will see new Intel chip just after Zen premiere and new Nvidia just after RX490 premiere. Exactly this way was with every new CPU and GPU in last ~7 years. I'm not on any side as Nvidia and Intel are bumping prices without any special reason but the same made AMD with their refreshed graphics ( for 3-4 years ? ). There is only "lesser evil" but AMD can't just give a good reason to buy their products.
I like what AMD did with their Fury cards even though they're not overclocking but bumping price before premiere when they were already losing to competition was total mistake ... and they barely sold any of these cards.

I have a feeling that RX470 can be better price/performance option if you wish CF. It's about the same as RX480 but has slower memory which can be always overclocked. Still single stronger card is always better idea than anything in CF/SLI.

 

[Alaric]

I lost a post. Odd. Anyway, I was an AMD fanboy and I couldn't see any alternative to a 6700k. From all I've read Zen won't touch it in IPC and the need for 10 cores is a long way off for my uses. For now, I didn't need 6 or 8 slow AMD cores and couldn't afford 6 or 8 fast Intel cores. Four fast cores with hyperthreading was the sweet spot for me. If I need more speed my chip should be able to pull another 300-500 MHz on ambient cooling. That's a CPU upgrade with a few clicks in the BIOS. Throw in a fast GTX 1070 and I should be set for a few years. I got my 480 because the price/performance ratio at that moment was the best I could afford and it was available. A 1070 will be as far as I need to go with what I already have and that knocks AMD completely out of my picture. I'm going to build a benching rig with an old 980 BE, but I just can't find a use for anything AMD has now or in the immediate future. I wish them luck and hope they keep Intel (sort of) honest, but I don't have enough money to support mediocre. Sorry, AMD.

edit: Yes, two 480s will give you almost 1080 performance for less money, IF, 480 prices come back down when they're available, but like Woomack said, a one card solution is always preferable if you can afford it.

 

[Helgaiden]

Would suck if the 490 is a dual GPU card. Then have to deal with crossfire support and blaaaah. Still holding out hope it'll be a single powerful GPU despite stuff saying that the Polaris GPU on the 480 is already the full size one. We'll seeee

 

[FlyingTexan]

With the speed how AMD releases any new products you will see new Intel chip just after Zen premiere and new Nvidia just after RX490 premiere. Exactly this way was with every new CPU and GPU in last ~7 years. I'm not on any side as Nvidia and Intel are bumping prices without any special reason but the same made AMD with their refreshed graphics ( for 3-4 years ? ). There is only "lesser evil" but AMD can't just give a good reason to buy their products.
I like what AMD did with their Fury cards even though they're not overclocking but bumping price before premiere when they were already losing to competition was total mistake ... and they barely sold any of these cards.

I have a feeling that RX470 can be better price/performance option if you wish CF. It's about the same as RX480 but has slower memory which can be always overclocked. Still single stronger card is always better idea than anything in CF/SLI.

Keep in mind AMD has turned around completely from who it was. I bought their stock not too long ago and have made around 80% on it. The new CEO has changed the direction of the company and it's not as clear cut moving forward as people think. Intel has only made incremental advancements to their chips. Many people building PC's for gaming rigs are still picking up older chips. I just read a fun article on some guys that built a 20 core PC that destroyed the newer processors and did it all for $1000 lol.

AMD has made huge leaps and bounds just look at the XBOX One and PS4 and what they are capable of doing. That technology is being pushed into Zen and I think it's great for the future. Can't really speak to AMD's past on this because this is a completely new architecture and not just incremental upgrades you've seen in the past. It might not murder Intel but it doesn't need to. We're at the point where CPU's aren't really the limiting factors so right now it's about efficient CPU's that can still handle a decent workload. Polaris has already shown it handles DX12 and Vulcan better and that's the direction things are heading. I'm not saying AMD will be better than anything has to offer but then again I'm not interested in spending $2k on just a CPU only to have it outdated before too long. I'm a firm believer it not buying the absolute best. Someone can say they want a 5yr system and spend tons or they can be more reasonable and just upgrade with newer hardware as things progress. There's a point of diminishing returns. I think AMD with Zen and the new GPUs is exactly what people will be looking for. At least I know I am. 4k gaming is for the birds right now. With a 27" desk monitor the human eye can't see it.

 

[Nebulous]

I'm hoping that RX 490 drops soon. Tho my 390 is very capable of handling all my games, it doesn't clock worth crap

 

[EarthDog]

Neb buddy, you should have never went to a 390 in the first place bud. You paid for more memory because its no different than a 290, but with more memory (and slightly higher clock that a 290 could reach without trying).

Id look at the 1060 as well.

 

[Nebulous]

Neb buddy, you should have never went to a 390 in the first place bud. You paid for more memory because its no different than a 290, but with more memory (and slightly higher clock that a 290 could reach without trying).

Id look at the 1060 as well.

Yeah I know, I should've listened to you. Dumb move on my part . This next upgrade I'm going all out and get a 1080/ti unless the 490 shows something promising.

 

[EarthDog]

At 1080 res? Get a 1080 bud and save some cash. That will keep you happy for a few years.

 

[Nebulous]

At 1080 res? Get a 1080 bud and save some cash. That will keep you happy for a few years.

Well I was thinking of going with a 4k monitor, thus is why I stated a ti. But yeah, @ 1080 res you're right. A 1080 will suit me and the monies saved I might splurge on something else. Thx Joe

 

[Woomack]

Keep in mind AMD has turned around completely from who it was. I bought their stock not too long ago and have made around 80% on it. The new CEO has changed the direction of the company and it's not as clear cut moving forward as people think. Intel has only made incremental advancements to their chips. Many people building PC's for gaming rigs are still picking up older chips. I just read a fun article on some guys that built a 20 core PC that destroyed the newer processors and did it all for $1000 lol.

AMD has made huge leaps and bounds just look at the XBOX One and PS4 and what they are capable of doing. That technology is being pushed into Zen and I think it's great for the future. Can't really speak to AMD's past on this because this is a completely new architecture and not just incremental upgrades you've seen in the past. It might not murder Intel but it doesn't need to. We're at the point where CPU's aren't really the limiting factors so right now it's about efficient CPU's that can still handle a decent workload. Polaris has already shown it handles DX12 and Vulcan better and that's the direction things are heading. I'm not saying AMD will be better than anything has to offer but then again I'm not interested in spending $2k on just a CPU only to have it outdated before too long. I'm a firm believer it not buying the absolute best. Someone can say they want a 5yr system and spend tons or they can be more reasonable and just upgrade with newer hardware as things progress. There's a point of diminishing returns. I think AMD with Zen and the new GPUs is exactly what people will be looking for. At least I know I am. 4k gaming is for the birds right now. With a 27" desk monitor the human eye can't see it.

They barely did anything. They just reduce loses and have plans for future but so far most are only words.
You clearly have no idea what technology is in gaming consoles. It's the same as Kabini but with more cores and better graphics ... still it's 3-4 year old technology. If it was so great then Microsoft wouldn't force game manufacturers to lock FPS and "optimize" games ( cutting details ) so games won't lag. Zen is totally different product and actually since RX400 and Zen, AMD is starting to make something good ( RX460 is a mistake ).

High performance, low power CPU which generates low heat will be always needed and this way is going market. AMD has no products like that. I mean not even 1 APU/CPU is any competition to Intel products right now. I like Kabini but it's 3 year old chip at ~15W TDP while Intel has competitive chips at 4-10W TDP.

If AMD was doing so great then most AMD fans wouldn't move to Intel. Check AMD section on OCF. Most AMD users switched sides and they expect AMD to show something good ... but it's constantly delayed and I'm afraid the same story as always will repeat with Zen even though on paper it looks like good CPU. RX480/470 are good GPUs but were released at least 3 months too late to make a difference ( not to mention pcie power fail which could be solved before premiere ). We were hearing about them since the beginning of this year while premiere was about a month ago... Nvidia was waiting with GTX1060 and released it just after premiere of AMD GPUs and because of current prices GTX1060 looks like a better option. They will make exactly the same with GTX1080Ti.

Current performance leaks regarding Zen are placing it as competition to Haswell i5 ... so 8 core Zen vs 3 year old, 4 core i5. I don't know if this is what people are looking for. If it's true and AMD won't release anything ~4GHz ( with good OC potential ) then somehow I can't see anyone buying AMD as an Intel replacement.

I'm counting on something good from AMD as Intel is simply boring so what I said above is not because I hate AMD. Probably I will try Zen but I won't use it as daily rig but more like a test/benchmarking platform.