I'm one of them, btw! It would be good to get clarification on this. Now there are rumours the revised chips will have TrueAudio as well, but still cost the same? If that part is true, I'd rather sell my card now before the value plummets - nobody will want a second hand R9-280x that hasn't got the XTL features, especially if the XTL has TrueAudio and runs cooler! Now if the rumour is bull, and it really is just a bios update enabling some power saving features etc that wasn't quite ready for launch, then I'd be happy with that . I should point out that in reviews of existing R9-280X's, where the GPU is listed, they all say Tahiti XTL. Now, if this isn't the case, this will create a crapload more confusion because people may look up reviews of a certain card, see the 'Tahiti XTL' and think all is good, purchase it thinking they have the revised XTL when in fact they're getting the stock clearance XT2. Look here: http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/msi_radeon_r9_280x_twinfrozr_gaming_oc_review,1.html (AMD RADEON R9 280X GPU (Tahiti XTL) and here: http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/gigabyte_radeon_r9_280x_windforce_review,1.html (AMD RADEON R9 280X GPU (Tahiti XTL) just for example, but the same goes on every other review where they state what Tahiti revision it is. Maybe Hilbert will have to do some review editing... I would post links for other examples from other sites, but I don't feel like listing just about every R9-280X review out there.
There's one issue with this: memory controller. Didn't they say themselves that it's not designed to run highly clocked GDDR5 (even if castrated to 384-bit width)? Or will they keep 4GB but run lower clocks?
What's the memory controller got to do with a revised core? 280x is 384bit 3GB anyway not 4GB...:3eyes:
I did some looking around at different VGA bioses for the 280X, and found the following: NO REFERENCE to Tahiti XTL: Asus R9 280X DC II TOP Asus R9 280X Matrix Gigabyte R9 280X Windforce OC SPECIFICALLY STATES Tahiti XTL: HIS R9 280X IceQ X2 Turbo (TAHITI XTL PCIE 3G/384B GDDR5 DLDVI-I/HDMI) HIS R9 280X IceQ X2 Boost (TAHITI XTL PCIE 3G/384B GDDR5 DLDVI-I/HDMI) MSI R9 280X (Gaming) (113-MSITV277MS.314 TAHITI B0 XTL C38650 GDDR5 3GB) MSI R9 280X (TF Gaming) (113-MSITV277MS.302 TAHITI B0 XTL C38650 GDDR5 3GB) MIXED REFERENCE: Sapphire R9 280X (VaporX) (Tahiti B0 XT2_XTL C38650 GDDR5 3GB 500e/150m) So, if the rumour is correct in respect to only being able to tell by the bios, it would suggest some brands already have the XTL chip, and other brands are using rebranded XT2 chips. Interestingly enough straight from the Guru3D reviews! http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/his_radeon_r9_280x_iceq_x2_turbo_review,9.html Look at the idle temp and load temp of the cards that have Tahiti XTL in the bios (HIS R9-280x IceQ X2 Turbo, MSI R9-280x Gaming) compared to those that don't reference Tahiti XTL (Asus R9-280X DCII Top, Gigabyte R9 280X Windforce OC). The HIS and MSI cards with Tahiti XTL bios reference: (1050/1050) Idle: 30C, 30C Load: 62C, 68C The Asus (with that fancy new cooler) and Gigabyte without the Tahiti XTL reference: (1070/1100) Idle: 31C, 34C Load: 69C, 75C Could just be coincidence that the ones with the Tahiti XTL reference run cooler True, the Asus and Gigabyte are clocked slightly higher, but this wouldn't account for the temp differences. Another interesting aspect is that although the Asus and Gigabyte are clocked higher, and the Asus having the RAM as 1600 MHz instead of 1500 MHz, their performance results are almost identical to each other... Although the clocks are very similar, I would have though the Asus and Gigabyte nudge forward a bit more than they have. In fact, the Asus, despite being clocked 20 MHz higher and 100 MHz on the RAM, is fractionally slower than the lower clocked HIS and MSI. Only the Gigabyte gets ever so fractionally ahead in some tests (remember clocked 50 MHz higher), but you also have to remember the Gigabyte runs significantly hotter, by 4C at idle up to 13C under load.
^Could also be to do with higher clocks on DCII and WF. Anyway Tahiti is still Tahiti whichever way you look at it.......
True I was thinking that, which is why I looked into it further and re-edited the post. The higher clocks do not represent higher performance, it's almost as if they need that extra clock speed to make up for a slight deficit in performance... It's probably just coincidence, but the fact remains the HIS and the MSI specifically state Tahiti XTL in the bios.
Probably true! It could just be that there is a bios update coming out and it was misreported, or in fact some brands don't already have Tahiti XTL and will be getting them as a running update later. As I said in my earlier post, I truly believe that at least HIS and MSI are using the Tahiti XTL chip. The article specifically states that you can only tell by the bios, and the bios of the HIS and MSI specifically state Tahiti XTL .
The solution to this is simple. Burn the fker out and RMA it. It would serve them right for pulling a stunt like that. Having said that, it's probably a non-issue.
Well, seems mine claims in the bios that it is a Tahiti XTL, just like Stealballs's 280x's as discussed in this thread: http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=382843 So the rumour is probably a load of bull, or it's possible that HIS and MSI are using XTL's and Asus and Gigabyte etc are using XT2's currently... The fact mine says Tahiti XTL specifically in the bios, as discussed (it's missing from Asus and Gigabyte) I guess I can assume I do have XTL and the other rumours of things like TrueAudio is just crap. Like Stealballs said, the MSI and HIS do run really cool and quiet already.
Did I read it too quickly (I can be pretty damn selective at times...)? I somehow got this impression that it was about castrated 290 chips.
The story was about 280x chips, which are effectively an update rebranded HD7970 GHz edition chip. The rumour was that the current R9-280x's are direct rebrands of the HD7970 GHz, whereas the updated R9-280X's (Tahiti XTL) will use a slightly updated chip (supposedly basically the equivalent of a new CPU stepping). There were rumours of TrueAudio etc, but I believe that to be complete and utter bull. It appears though that at least some brands of R9-280X's use the Tahiti XTL's straight out, like my HIS and Stealballs MSI's. It is possible however that not all R9-280x's use these chips currently... I said possibility, if there is any shred of truth about this rumour then I see this as the most likely scenario. They say mid November you will see the cards right? Geez, they pumped out a crapload of GPU's in just a month, right? no lol.