SAPPHIRE HD 7870 XT with Boost Announced

[Cristian_25H]

SAPPHIRE Technology has just announced a new graphics card in its HD 7000 series - the SAPPHIRE HD 7870 XT with Boost. Like the other cards in the HD 7000 series, the new card is based on the highly acclaimed Graphics Core Next architecture from AMD.

The SAPPHIRE HD 7870 XT with Boost delivers a new price : performance point to the series. It is based on AMD's Tahiti architecture with its 256-bit memory interface, and 1280 stream processors and 80 Texture units, unlike the remainder of the HD 7800 series that uses the Pitcairn architecture. Configured with 2 GB of high speed GDDR5 memory running at 1500 MHz (6 GHz effective) the SAPPPHIRE HD 7870 XT has a core clock of 925 MHz which dynamically rises to 975 MHz with PowerTune Boost, AMDs dynamic performance enhancement for games.





This new model also features SAPPHIRE's latest Dual-X cooler technology, with its graduated heatpipes and two aerofoil fans with dust repelling bearings for efficient cooling and low noise operation. Output configuration is Dual Link DVI-I (supporting VGA with dongle supplied), HDMI and two mini-DisplayPorts, allowing a wide range of monitor types to be connected. AMD's multi-monitor SLS technology, Eyefinity is supported.

For enthusiasts wishing to maximise performance of this graphics card, the latest version of the SAPPHIRE overclocking tool, TriXX supports this technology and is available free to download from the SAPPHIRE website. SAPPHIRE TriXX allows tuning of GPU voltage as well as core and memory clocks, whilst continuously displaying temperature. Manual control of fan speed is supported, as well as user created fan profiles and the ability to save up to four different performance settings.

The HD 7000 series is the third generation of DirectX 11 compatible solutions from the graphics division of AMD - formerly ATI. The SAPPHIRE HD 7870 XT is ready for DirectX 11.1 and the new Windows 8 operating system as well as delivering all the features of the current DirectX 11 such as DirectCompute11 and multi threaded communications with the CPU. Communication with the host PC is optimised with the implementation of the latest high speed PCI-Express Gen3.0 interface, and multiple cards can be used to further enhance performance in CrossFireX mode on a suitably specified mainboard.

HDMI specifications have also increased in the HD 7000 series. Fast HDMI 1.4a supports Stereoscopic 3D with enhanced frame rates of 60 Hz per eye - 120 Hz total. It is also ready for the next generation of 4K displays that can be driven from a single high speed input of 3GHz HDMI 1.4a or DisplayPort 1.2 HBR2.

APP Acceleration is the name given to the enhanced performance of a wide range of applications using the stream processing capabilities and specific hardware features of the graphics architecture. The HD 7000 series has been optimised for this type of task. Typical applications include Video encoding and decoding, compression and multiplexing for media distribution, gaming or video conferencing. APP acceleration can also enhance everyday tasks such as Internet browsing, Office applications and file compression with supported software suites.

[kpo6969]

If this was a Tahiti-based card it would have 1536 stream processors and 96 texture units.

[Tatty_One]

Originally Posted by kpo6969

If this was a Tahiti-based card it would have 1536 stream processors and 96 texture units.

"Based on" isnt quite "same as", as far as I was aware the architecture is based on Tahiti, just cut down to Pitcairn or Cape Verdi.... I maybe wrong though.

[kpo6969]

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/C...ard_Tahiti_LE/

[INSTG8R]

So they used a Tahiti Core but then knocked it down to Pitcairn Specs anyways? I was a little excited to see someone reputable like Sapphire have a go at one of these Tahiti 7800's, now not so much...

[Socram13]

1280 SP along with 925/975MHz clock and 6GHz inside 256-bit?

It will have about same performance than standard HD 7870, but less than VTX3D, Club 3D or Powercolor, due less 256 Stream Processors.

[T4C Fantasy]

something seriously horrible happened to that frontal pic of the card, looks like someone cut it up with a can opener

edit: I fixed the pic use this one

[T4C Fantasy]

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpudb/b11...ith_Boost.html

[Dj-ElectriC]

XT... in a radeon card's name. I'm hard right now...

[Socram13]

Originally Posted by T4C Fantasy

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpudb/b11...ith_Boost.html

I´m confused, the news refer 1280 SP, now this link specifies 1536 SP...
What is the true spec?
I believe is 1536, as 1280 is the number of Stream Processors of standard HD 7870.

[T4C Fantasy]

Originally Posted by Socram13

I´m confused, the news refer 1280 SP, now this link specifies 1536 SP...
What is the true spec?
I believe is 1536, as 1280 is the number of Stream Processors of standard HD 7870.

its 1536, sapphire made a mistake, they also mislabeled another 7k series card to have more/less shaders in the past which I emailed them about and they confirmed

the news editors and photoshop editors for sapphire should be fired

[Casecutter]

Originally Posted by T4C Fantasy

its 1536, sapphire made a mistake,

So, as soon as we get confirmation can Cristian_25H get that edited.

AND... I want this one Reviewed... W1zzard!

[kpo6969]

Originally Posted by T4C Fantasy

its 1536, sapphire made a mistake, they also mislabeled another 7k series card to have more/less shaders in the past which I emailed them about and they confirmed

the news editors and photoshop editors for sapphire should be fired

http://www.techpowerup.com/176180/Sa...hics-Card.html

Give it to Sapphire to confuse as to what it is.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Sapph...d-316342.shtml

http://videocardz.com/38996/sapphire...-xt-with-boost

I would think 6000mhz vram = 1536sp card?

[T4C Fantasy]

Originally Posted by kpo6969

http://www.techpowerup.com/176180/Sa...hics-Card.html

Give it to Sapphire to confuse as to what it is.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Sapph...d-316342.shtml

http://videocardz.com/38996/sapphire...-xt-with-boost

I would think 6000mhz vram = 1536sp card?

im still sticking to the fact that every 1536 core 7870 has the same exact specs and outputs as this 7870 xt, if its not the 1536 then "wtf" comes to mind.. especially since core clock, boost and memory match precisely with Tahiti le's 7870

"The SAPPHIRE HD 7870 XT with Boost delivers a new price/performance point to the series. It is based on AMD’s Tahiti architecture with its 256-bit memory interface"
http://www.sapphiretech.com/presenta...n=&lid=1&leg=0

then they go on about how it has 1280 cores... which Tahiti doesn't have unless its a new Tahiti like Tahiti LP something the mobile series does

[Frick]

Originally Posted by Dj-ElectriC

XT... in a radeon card's name. I'm hard right now...

Now for a XTPE.

[ViperXTR]

Originally Posted by Dj-ElectriC

XT... in a radeon card's name. I'm hard right now...

Needs moar X
XTX

[eidairaman1]

so this is the Second tahiti based 7870, pretty impressive for the level they are, should be easy to determine if you have a tahiti or Pictarin Based 7870.

[Dj-ElectriC]

I think what should determine it is overclocking capability.
For many people (like me), i'd pefer HD7950 on an HD7870 not becuase the performance is about 9% higher but because HD7950 can improve redicules amounts of GPU horse-power by overclocking, even without much voltage increase

[Super XP]

So this new BOOST concept is most likely what we are to expect with the upcoming HD 8900 Series right? I mean they've been throwing everything out there including the kitchen sink to somewhat spark interest.
It's nice to see AMD picking at ATI's vault and reserecting the good old XT & XTX abbreviations.
I'll wait for the HD 8970.

[eidairaman1]

Originally Posted by Super XP

So this new BOOST concept is most likely what we are to expect with the upcoming HD 8900 Series right? I mean they've been throwing everything out there including the kitchen sink to somewhat spark interest.
It's nice to see AMD picking at ATI's vault and reserecting the good old XT & XTX abbreviations.
I'll wait for the HD 8970.

boost is a clock speed increase, nothing special about it.

[Super XP]

Originally Posted by eidairaman1

boost is a clock speed increase, nothing special about it.

Really I thought it was something similar like Turbo on the CPU's. Unless they modified this card, I would rather just by an ordinary version and just OC it.

[T4C Fantasy]

Originally Posted by Super XP

So this new BOOST concept is most likely what we are to expect with the upcoming HD 8900 Series right? I mean they've been throwing everything out there including the kitchen sink to somewhat spark interest.
It's nice to see AMD picking at ATI's vault and reserecting the good old XT & XTX abbreviations.
I'll wait for the HD 8970.

im not exactly sure what they do, but im going to guess and anyone correct me if im wrong, not sure if this is how it works for nvidias boost, but for amd I believe its nothing but a power state like amd has always had when the idle clocks are 150mhz and boost to midrange, and boost to full range on load, I think its just labeled as boost for marketing *on the amd side*

wel lactually I do know nvidias boost is different, it has a different bios layout for its boost on the gtx 600 series, previous series are the same as amd as far as boost states

[T4C Fantasy]

sapphire updated heir website it is infact 1536 cores http://www.sapphiretech.com/presenta...n=&lid=1&leg=0

[eidairaman1]

Originally Posted by Super XP

Really I thought it was something similar like Turbo on the CPU's. Unless they modified this card, I would rather just by an ordinary version and just OC it.

Originally Posted by T4C Fantasy

im not exactly sure what they do, but im going to guess and anyone correct me if im wrong, not sure if this is how it works for nvidias boost, but for amd I believe its nothing but a power state like amd has always had when the idle clocks are 150mhz and boost to midrange, and boost to full range on load, I think its just labeled as boost for marketing *on the amd side*

wel lactually I do know nvidias boost is different, it has a different bios layout for its boost on the gtx 600 series, previous series are the same as amd as far as boost states

Boost, Turbo, Shader Clocks, all the same pretty much. Nothing Special about any of them.

[SonDa5]

This seems like an early release of HD 8870. Would be cool if this could be flashed to 8870 in the near future.