AMD’s Radeon HD 5830: A Filler Card at the Wrong Price
by Ryan Smith on February 24, 2010 12:00 AM EST- Posted in
- GPUs
Also Announced: Radeon HD 5870 Eyefinity 6 Edition
While we were being briefed about the 5830, AMD also used the opportunity to tell us about the 5870 Eyefinity 6 Edition. You may better know this card as Trillian, a card that AMD was showing off (but not naming) all the way back at their 5800 series launch event in September. The 5870E6 is the 6 port mini-DisplayPort card that AMD was using to drive their 6 monitor and 24 monitor setups during the event.
AMD is finally ready to launch the card (and we’re assuming the 6 display Samsung mega-monitor is done too) which is why AMD is announcing it today. We have the complete specs of the card, but AMD is not quite ready to discuss its performance so we have yet to receive a sample card nor can we talk about its expected performance until a later date.
| AMD Radeon HD 5970 | AMD Radeon HD 5870E6 | AMD Radeon HD 5870 | AMD Radeon HD 5850 | |
| Stream Processors | 2x1600 | 1600 | 1600 | 1440 |
| Texture Units | 2x80 | 80 | 80 | 72 |
| ROPs | 2x32 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
| Core Clock | 725MHz | 850MHz | 850MHz | 725MHz |
| Memory Clock | 1GHz (4GHz data rate) GDDR5 | 1.2GHz (4.8GHz data rate) GDDR5 | 1.2GHz (4.8GHz data rate) GDDR5 | 1GHz (4GHz data rate) GDDR5 |
| Memory Bus Width | 2x256-bit | 256-bit | 256-bit | 256-bit |
| Frame Buffer | 2x1GB | 2GB | 1GB | 1GB |
| Transistor Count | 2x2.15B | 2.15B | 2.15B | 2.15B |
| TDP | 294W | 228W | 188W | 151W |
| Manufacturing Process | TSMC 40nm | TSMC 40nm | TSMC 40nm | TSMC 40nm |
| Price Point | $599 | >$400 | $400 | $300 |
In a nutshell, the 5870E6 is a 2GB version of the 5870 equipped with 6 mini-DisplayPorts for its output. The core and memory clocks are the same as the regular 5870, while the extra RAM is to cover the larger framebuffer that would be required for such a large surface (6 1080P monitors would be 12.5MP). AMD has to equip the card with 16 GDDR5 chips in 16bit mode (as opposed to 8 chips in 32bit mode) to get 2GB of memory, so the power usage of the card will be 228W under load, and 34W idle. This means it will take a 6pin PCIe power plug and an 8pin power plug to drive the card, the only 5800 series card to have such a requirement.
AMD will once again be using the 5800/5900 series trademark shrouded cooler, this time with a full vent along the second slot to deal with the additional heat from the extra GDDR5 chips. At this point we don’t know how long the card will be, although we wouldn’t be surprised if it ended up being longer to fit the extra GDDR5 chips and power circuitry.
In order to drive adoption and to make things a bit easier for buyers, AMD will be having their partners include a number of dongles with the card so that no one is caught completely off guard by the exclusive use of mini-DP. The 5870E6 will come with 2 mini-DP to DP dongles, 2 mini-DP to single-link DVI dongles, and a single mini-DP to HDMI dongle. This will give the 5870E6 a similar degree of output flexibility as the 5870, even though it’s composed entirely of mini-DP ports.
Since this is still being driven by Cypress, the clock source limitation has not changed. Cypress only has 2 clock sources for DVI-type displays, so the 5870E6 can only drive up to 2 DVI/HDMI displays using passive adapters. Furthermore if you want to drive a 2560 display or a 120Hz 1920 display, you’re going to need active adapters regardless of clock sources. So if you’re thinking of buying this as a 2GB 5870 to drive your 2560 DVI monitor, you’re still going to be shelling out another $100 for an active adapter. Even with the dongles, it’s clear that this card really is meant to be paired with DP/mini-DP monitors for the long-run.
As for pricing information, AMD has not announced a final price for the card. But since the regular 5870 is already at $400 it’s safe to tell you that this card will be in excess of $400.
Finally, we’re left wondering whether this card is a bit ahead of its time. Eyefinity is certainly ready (particularly with the Catalyst 10.3 driver additions that will be coming) but AMD’s current power situation means that they can either offer a 2GB 5870 or a 2GB (1GB effective) 5970, but not a 4GB (2GB effective) 5970. Based on our reviews of the 5870 and 5970 we’re not convinced that a 5870 is fast enough to drive 6 monitors and run games at a high level of detail at the same time, and at the same time more memory would seem to be critical for the frame buffer size that would result from such a setup. With Crossfire Eyefinity fully working as of the Catalyst 10.2 drivers, we suspect anyone serious about a 6 monitor setup is going to want to go for a pair of these cards in Crossfire mode so that they have the rendering performance to drive such a high resolution display. It would be costly (>$800) but then again so would a 6 monitor setup.
We’ll have more on the 5870 Eyefinity 6 Edition once it launches.
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Ben90 - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
I'm sorry, but your first two paragraphs is probably the stupidest thing I've read in a while. Ill admit a week isn't very much to fret over, but your post reads like: "AMD/Nvidia can launch whatever they want, whenever they want... If you don't like them releasing the HD 9870/GTX 626262 early just lose your job as a reviewer you baby"I'm glad you can write negative things in your reviews Ryan. I get tired of reading sites clearly sucking up because they got something free.
bill4 - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
First of all, this is like the flimsiest paper launch ever. He admits HES NOT EVEN SURE ITS A PAPER LAUNCH. But still complains.Second, again fuzzy memory, but I'm pretty sure SEVERAL recent AMD/Nvidia launches have been paper.
Paper launches are good. The product will be available when it's available in either case. The only difference is, how soon you get the product info. The sooner the better imo.
If a world exclusive GTX 470/480 review hit the web tomorrow, would you refuse to read it because it's a paper launch? Hell no, everything would be exactly as it is now, except you'd have more info sooner.
Spoelie - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
Paper launches are very bad because they are misleading, with no guarantee of the product actually making it too retail, or in the same configuration as the retail samples.Right until the chips are in boards and on their way to the retail store in sufficient quantities, too much can go wrong.
I remember around the X800 vs 6800 era when paper launches were at their peak (X800XT, X800XTX, X800XTX PE -nicknamed press edition-, X850XT, ... all very marginal variations of the same card) there were also X700XT reviews all over the place (like here http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2214...">http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2214... ), but the card NEVER made it to retail. Which makes the review kinda pointless. There was a X700PRO though, small comfort.
monomer - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
It looks like the 5830's are hitting retail today, if NewEgg is to be believed. $239.99 for the Bare-bones Powercolor, and $264.99 for the Sapphire which comes with COD-MW2.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a...p;cm_re=...
shiggz - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
So basically its the same price, performance, TDP as my gtx 260 I bought a year ago?I will upgrade when I can buy the first video card by either company that fits these specs.
- 20+% faster then 5870
- 250-300$
- 28nm
- max 170 watt TDP
- good fan no louder then my 260 (spend way more time reading then gaming)
I might jump in the next 6-9 months If I see a 5890 with a good non-stock fan for 275$. I don't think Nvidia will have anything in terms of price, performance, TDP in my range any time soon.
My money, My 260, and I can certainly wait longer then ATI or Nvidia can so well see who gets me first. :)
Alouette Radeon - Wednesday, March 24, 2010 - link
Your GTX 260 is on par with the HD 4870 and HD 5770. Where do you get the idea that a GTX 260 is a match to the HD 5830/4890? I call that wishful thinking at its best! LOLPaladin1211 - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
Quote:"I might jump in the next 6-9 months If I see a 5890 with a good non-stock fan for 275$. I don't think Nvidia will have anything in terms of price, performance, TDP in my range any time soon."
If Nvidia can't come out with anything in terms of price, performance, TDP in your range any time soon, what makes you think of a 5890 for $275? No less than $475 I would say, even at 28nm ^_^
AznBoi36 - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
You think you can get faster than 5870 performance with a low price and 28nm? Not to mention even 40nm yields are still pretty horrible.You're going to have to wait a lot longer than 9 months buddy. Try 2 years.
shiggz - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
I mentioned I may jump early 6-9 months from now for a good deal on a 5890. If not good deals happen I'll wait for next gen.This gen has already been delayed was planned to be released last summer/fall. Fermi2 is not 2 years away. Next gen development works in parallel not sequential. Just because this gen was late doesn't mean next gen will be. Reports from Global foundries and TSMC are that 28nm is developing well and on schedule for end of this year.
coldpower27 - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
Your gonna have to keep waiting then...