RanceJustice
Supreme [H]ardness
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2003
- Messages
- 6,635
Hello everyone. I've been looking into picking up an AMD card, likely either a 6800XT or 6900XT, but I'm trying to decide on the particular model. However, besides the crazy pricing structure one element has me questioning what to do - variation between card types. For instance, I seem to remember someone told me that unlike Nvidia who allowed AIB to push the envelope on power/voltage and the like - the reason that most 3080 / 3090 have 2x 8-pin power, FE's have 1x 12pin custom, but the "high end" models have 3x 8-pin and some - notably the Asus ROG Strix at the top of the pack - have a special BIOS for tons of power draw. - AMD however locked things down? Is this accurate?
On the NV side (3090 I'm most familiar with and what I own currently) there was significant variation between the power draw, components/PCB/VRMs, cooling units, and other features from reference designs, to FE, to AIB etc. Is this also the case on AMD or not? If AMD has, as rumors suggest, not allowed AIBs to go beyond certain reference standards no matter their hardware, then perhaps its not even worth it to spend the extra money on a fancy AIB version of a 6900XT / 6800XT? Do any of the AIBs have a meaningful improvement in cooling, PCB/VRM component quality vs the reference design and if so, which? Or could they be a waste if AMD holds the reins too tight, that most improvements are a lot of money for almost no benefit - bolting race car components (or even a race car engine) into a sporty family car never allowed to go above 60mph anyway?
I've heard that the "good versions" of the AMD 6800XT and 6900XT in terms of AIBs are....
Asus ROG Strix LC - Quite expensive thanks to its AIO cooling system. Kind of strange there's no air cooled Strix for either the 6800XT or 6900XT?
PowerColor Red Devil (LE) - One of the more powerful air cooled AIBs, but as of late seems nearly as expensive as even the Strix LC. LE versions seems to have a few aesthetic extras perhaps, not sure if any changes to the card or default speeds.
Sapphire Nitro+ - Similar to the RedDevil, a solid air cooled offering nearly as expensive. Seems the 6800XT has a "SE" version with some aesthetic extra differences but oddly not the 6900XT?
There are a few others out there, including the Asus TUF (seems nearly as expensive as the Strix LC surprisingly), XFX MERC cards (equally or more expensive than better regarded models for PowerColor and Sapphire I'm told), a cheaper though harder to find AsRock (of questionable quality) and more in terms of AIBs. Considering we're in a time when the "top 3" I noted above seem to be $1400+ for 6900XT (and 6800XT are $1000+ as well!) , I'm wondering how much of it is worth it in terms of performance, component/cooling quality, features and the like. NV cards had a rather significant difference between reference, FE, and AIB (and between AIB types) but I'm curious if that is also the case with AMD or not.
On the NV side (3090 I'm most familiar with and what I own currently) there was significant variation between the power draw, components/PCB/VRMs, cooling units, and other features from reference designs, to FE, to AIB etc. Is this also the case on AMD or not? If AMD has, as rumors suggest, not allowed AIBs to go beyond certain reference standards no matter their hardware, then perhaps its not even worth it to spend the extra money on a fancy AIB version of a 6900XT / 6800XT? Do any of the AIBs have a meaningful improvement in cooling, PCB/VRM component quality vs the reference design and if so, which? Or could they be a waste if AMD holds the reins too tight, that most improvements are a lot of money for almost no benefit - bolting race car components (or even a race car engine) into a sporty family car never allowed to go above 60mph anyway?
I've heard that the "good versions" of the AMD 6800XT and 6900XT in terms of AIBs are....
Asus ROG Strix LC - Quite expensive thanks to its AIO cooling system. Kind of strange there's no air cooled Strix for either the 6800XT or 6900XT?
PowerColor Red Devil (LE) - One of the more powerful air cooled AIBs, but as of late seems nearly as expensive as even the Strix LC. LE versions seems to have a few aesthetic extras perhaps, not sure if any changes to the card or default speeds.
Sapphire Nitro+ - Similar to the RedDevil, a solid air cooled offering nearly as expensive. Seems the 6800XT has a "SE" version with some aesthetic extra differences but oddly not the 6900XT?
There are a few others out there, including the Asus TUF (seems nearly as expensive as the Strix LC surprisingly), XFX MERC cards (equally or more expensive than better regarded models for PowerColor and Sapphire I'm told), a cheaper though harder to find AsRock (of questionable quality) and more in terms of AIBs. Considering we're in a time when the "top 3" I noted above seem to be $1400+ for 6900XT (and 6800XT are $1000+ as well!) , I'm wondering how much of it is worth it in terms of performance, component/cooling quality, features and the like. NV cards had a rather significant difference between reference, FE, and AIB (and between AIB types) but I'm curious if that is also the case with AMD or not.