AMD Radeon HD 8970M videocard review: Specs | Hashrate

AMD Radeon HD 8970M videocard review: Specs | Hashrate | CPU Performance | Config – The Radeon HD 8970M mobile graphics adapter, also known as Neptune, belongs to the Solar System Series family of graphics cards. The Radeon HD 8970M graphics card is positioned as a high-performance solution for use in powerful notebooks. The new graphics card is based on a 28nm Pitcairn graphics chip based on Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture.

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1 Supported technologies

The declared performance of the video card is 2304 GFLOPS. The base frequency of the graphics core is 850 MHz, but using dynamic overclocking technology, this value can be increased to 900 MHz. In turn, 2-4 GB GDDR5 memory chips with a 256-bit interface operate at 1200 MHz. AMD Enduro technology is responsible for optimizing power consumption. The ability to display images on multiple displays at once is provided by AMD Eyefinity technology. The accelerator supports DirectX 11.1 and meets all the requirements of the Windows 8 operating system.

The new Radeon HD 8970M GPU has 1,280 stream processors, with the next model in the hierarchy having just 640 stream processors (Radeon HD 8870M). If we compare the video card with the predecessor Radeon HD 7970M, then the user will not get any gain, since the same 1280 stream processors are used in the Radeon HD 7970M. In terms of clock frequencies, the new HD 8000 family turns out to be at a familiar level, the Radeon HD 8970M operates at 850 MHz as usual, in Boost mode the clock frequency can be increased to 900 MHz. Other GPUs of the new family have a lower frequency, but, again, the difference with the Radeon HD 7970M is seen only in the addition of the Boost frequency. To be honest, many users expected more. Add to this GDDR5 memory at 1200 MHz – and here we can trace an analogy with the previous flagship. All of this allows the Radeon HD 8970M to deliver 2304 single precision GFLOPS and 144 double precision GFLOPS. The video card supports DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.2, as well as proprietary AMD CrossFire, HD3D, PowerPlay and Eyefinity technologies.

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Supported technologies

you PowerTune – a calculator that calculates the power consumption of the card in real time at intervals of milliseconds based on the analysis of the task being performed (without any analog sensors). And if possible, the GPU clock speed increases. Note that this is not a reset of the frequency relative to the nominal when the power threshold is reached, but, on the contrary, a precisely verified dynamic acceleration.

you CrossFireX – a technology that allows you to simultaneously use the power of two or more (up to four graphics processors at the same time) Radeon video cards to build a three-dimensional image. Each of the video cards, using a certain algorithm, forms its own part of the image, which is transferred to the Composing Engine chip of the master card, which has its own buffer memory. This chip combines the images of each video card and outputs the final frame.

ATI PowerPlay Is a dynamic power management technology used in some graphics processing units (GPUs) manufactured by AMD (formerly ATI). The principle of operation is based on tracking the GPU load, determining the optimal parameters and correspondingly changing the clock frequency of the chip, memory and supply voltage, thereby optimizing the power consumption and heat dissipation of the video card. The technology in idle modes can disable unused GPU blocks.

ATI Eyefinity — a technology developed by the American company AMD that allows multiple displays to be connected together to a personal computer. ATI Eyefinity assumes connection from one to six displays inclusive to one graphics card. Desktop duplication and stretching modes are supported across multiple monitors, and a special new feature allows displays to be grouped into one large screen that can display a PC desktop or, for example, video, as well as windowed or full-screen 3D applications.

AMD HD3D — The technology is supported by an extended and open ecosystem that, when combined with specific AMD hardware and software technologies, enables the 3D viewing of many applications and processes on the PC.

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AMD Enduro — Automatically disables AMD Radeon discrete graphics for lightweight applications and extends battery life.

AMD Zero Core — In a deep idle state, the new GPU consumes less than 5% of the power of full-fledged mode, disabling most of the functional blocks in this mode.

Specifications


AMD Radeon HD 8970M
Manufacturer
AMD
Series
Radeon HD 8000М
Processor code
GCN Heathrow XT
Streams
shraders 1280
Core clock speed
850-900 MHz
Shader frequency
850-900 MHz
Memory frequency
4800 MHz
Memory bus width
Page 256
Memory type
GDDR5
Memory Amount
4096 MB
DirectX
DirectX 11.1, Shader 5.1
Technology
28 n.m.

Synthetic tests

3DMark (2011) – Performance GPU: 6818
3DMark (2013) – Ice Storm Standard Graphics:110127
3DMark (2013) – Cloud Gate Standard Graphics: 31027
3DMark (2013) – Fire Strike Standard Graphics: 5038
Unigine Heaven 2,1 (DirectX 11 1280×1024): 75.8 kad sec

Game testing

Metro: Last Light. The resolution is 1366×768 pixels, with medium graphics settings in the game (Medium, DX10.4xAF, AA), the average FPS was 86. When the settings were increased to high (High DX11, 16xAF, AA), the number of FPS was 43. At a display resolution of 1920×1080 and maximum graphics settings (Very High DX11, 16xAF, AA), the average number of frames per second was 28.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist. At medium settings (1366 x 768, DX 11 Medium, AF AA), the average number of FPS in the game was 73. At high graphics settings (1366 x 768, DX 11, High, SSAO, FXAA 4xAF) – 857 PS. At maximum graphics settings (Ultra 1920 x 1080, DX11, HBAO, 4xMSAA, 8xAF), the average number of frames was kept at 30 FPS. Crysis 3. Graphics settings are average (Medium, 1366×768, 16xAF, FXAA) 77 FPS, when the settings are increased to high (High, 1366×768, 16xAF, FXAA), the average frame rate per second is 44. At the maximum settings Very High, 16xAF 2x MSAA) – 23 FPS.

BioShock Infinite. At medium settings (1366×768, Medium, AF AA), the average number of FPS in the game was 140. At high graphics settings (1366×768, High AA AF) – 123 PS. At maximum graphics settings (Ultra 1920×1080, DOF, AA AF), the average number of frames remained at 42 FPS.

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Battlefield 4. The resolution is 1366×768 pixels, with the setting (medium) the average number of frames per second was 70 FPS. When the settings were raised to the high level (High AF, AA), the FPS number was 58 FPS. At maximum graphics settings (Ultra, AF, 4xMSSA) and a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels, the result was 37 FPS.

Assassin´s Creed IV Black Flag. At medium settings (1366 x 768, Medium, no AF, AA), the average number of FPS in the game was 46. At high graphics settings (1366 x 768, High, SSAO + AF, 2xMSAA) – 45 PS. At maximum graphics settings (Very High 1920 x 1080, HBAO + AF, 4xMSAA), the average number of frames was kept at 21 FPS.

Company of Heroes 2. At medium settings (1366 x 768, Medium, AF) the average number of FPS in the game was 53. At high graphics settings (1366 x 768, High, AF, medium AA) – 35 PS. At maximum graphics settings (Maximum 1920 x 1080, High AA, High AF), the average number of frames was kept at 22 FPS.

Call of duty ghosts. With a resolution of 1366×768 pixels and high game settings (High, AF, 2xMSAAA), the result averaged 53 frames per second. At medium graphics settings (Medium AF, AA) 70 frames per second. At the highest settings (Extra, HBAO + AF, 4x MSAA), the display resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels, the average number of frames per second was 31
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