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Sapphire Radeon R7 265 2 GB

W1zzard

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AMD today released their Radeon R7 265 in a preemptive strike to cover their bases against NVIDIA's upcoming GTX 750 Ti. While the card is based on the aging HD 7850, it still offers good gaming performance and comes with an excellent price/performance ratio.

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a good price :D
 
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Great review, I knew this would be the one to wait for. Amazingly after 2 years, the picarin cards are still leading the way in perf./$ and perf/watt.
I would imagine the 260x prices will drop as they are way too close in price and this card smokes it.
 
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Did you get any pther models of R7 265 to review? Also, can you reduce Fan speed with MSI Afterburner or some other software? I wonder what temperature would card reach with something around 25-26dbA under load.
 

W1zzard

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Did you get any pther models of R7 265 to review? Also, can you reduce Fan speed with MSI Afterburner or some other software? I wonder what temperature would card reach with something around 25-26dbA under load.
No I haven't received any other R7 265 samples.

I did a quick test: set the fan to 20% fixed, which is the same speed as in idle. Under load temps reach 82°C (this might depend on your case airflow as well). But it shows that you can easily adjust noise levels with software.
 
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Great review, I knew this would be the one to wait for.

This was the card to wait for? Considering that there have been periodic sales of the HD 7850 for around $100 over the last 9 months, I fail to see how waiting for a rebrand was worthwhile...

The only cards worth waiting for are ones based on 20nm fab...
 
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You should include the 270(non-X) it seems almost forgotten, but it's a fully featured Pitcairn with a TDP of 150W, seems a lot more attractive than this card tbh. Atleast if they alter the price.
 
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This was the card to wait for? Considering that there have been periodic sales of the HD 7850 for around $100 over the last 9 months, I fail to see how waiting for a rebrand was worthwhile...

The only cards worth waiting for are ones based on 20nm fab...

The 7850hd was listed on here for $150 despite what can be "found". Even so, it still offers midway between 7850 and 7870 performance for 7850 price. So yeah, it was the one to wait for - especially after the $140 260x, which way too high. As for Nvidia, we should have GTX 750 reviews soon so I will keep quite until then. Pr-release outlook hasn't been great though.

Lastly, fab reduction doesn't always guarantee a great advancement. Look at intel processors going from such as the 2000 series to the 3000 series. They lost o/c ability more than anything.
 
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The 7850hd was listed on here for $150 despite what can be "found". Even so, it still offers midway between 7850 and 7870 performance for 7850 price. So yeah, it was the one to wait for - especially after the $140 260x, which way too high.

I suppose that factory overclocked cards like the MSI 7850 Twin Frozr going for as little as $87 after rebate were just a figment of my imagination... I guess you couldn't be bothered to pickup a cheap 7850 months ago and overclocking it yourself... Clearly, it was worthwhile for you to wait for a factory overclocked rebrand so you can pay a premium for the same card...
 

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I suppose that factory overclocked cards like the MSI 7850 Twin Frozr going for as little as $87 after rebate was just a figment of my imagination... I guess you couldn't be bothered to pickup a cheap 7850 months ago and overclocking it yourself... Clearly, it was worthwhile for you to wait for a factory overclocked rebrand so you can pay a premium for the same card...

Deals are deals, listing prices are listing prices. You might also live in different parts of the world, where Nihilus lives they might not have had constant deals.
 
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Deals are deals, listing prices are listing prices. You might also live in different parts of the world, where Nihilus lives they might not have had constant deals.

I guess we should also ignore the fact that this rebranded release is a few weeks shy of the 2 year anniversary of the HD 7850...
 
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That is a great price for the performance. I think the HD 7850 launch price was $249
 
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No I haven't received any other R7 265 samples.
I did a quick test: set the fan to 20% fixed, which is the same speed as in idle. Under load temps reach 82°C (this might depend on your case airflow as well). But it shows that you can easily adjust noise levels with software.
Ok, thanks. I guess I'll wait for 750 Ti reviews, and see, if it can provide lower noise/temps with similar performance. Or just try to find R7 265 with better cooler. Maybe HIS will release version with IceQ Turbo cooler once again, as the 7850 version is only available for crazy prices here in Poland (more than R9 270X).
 
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Nice offering given that 7850's especially the 2Gb's had almost waned from the market, while the GTX650Ti Boost dried up like mid-December the market between a R7 260X and R9 270 has languish.

So now with Nvidia bringing their new Maxwell, AMD deals out the gelding part that I’ll beat they don’t have all that huge amount anymore just intended to be a…. "squirrel". This won’t disrupt much of anything as I don't see AMD seeing many of these 1024Sp Pitcairn’s (Curacaos?) coming from production nowadays, and they aren’t going to castrate good chips given how they can sell every 270X they deliver.

So all Nvidia has to deliver is reference GTX750Ti 2Gb card that’s say 35% more efficient than the GTX650Ti Boost (to withhold the 6-in), up the performance by say 5% to spar with this R7 265, while a $140 price that more attacks the R7 260X. Then all Nividias’ AIB’s will basically only offer OC’d customs with the 6-pin that get more toward the GTX660 and 7870 level (another 8-10%), but can they bring for no more than $160 price? That’s all the wiggle room they have given the 270(Non-X) is a $180 offering and provide another big leap-frog in performance.
.
 

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I guess we should also ignore the fact that this rebranded release is a few weeks shy of the 2 year anniversary of the HD 7850...

That we should not ignore, but that's a different discussion. Today it seems it offers good performance for the money.
 
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The R9 270 is supposed to be $179.99. But the cheapest one currently on Newegg is $229.99.
Unfortunately, none of AMD's MSRP designations can currently be taken at face value. AIB vendors and/or retailers are price gouging on everything. Until it actually shows up, I won't believe that this will actually retail for $149.99.
 
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I guess we should also ignore the fact that this rebranded release is a few weeks shy of the 2 year anniversary of the HD 7850...
But let's not ignore that we're months away from seeing the next node (20Nm) from TSMC, even Nvidia is re-engineering on 28Nm, because that’s all we have. Pitcairn/Curacaos is arguably the definitive iteration on 28Nm in terms of every matrix; efficiency/heat cost/performance/bandwidth and mainstream market segment saturation, although honestly the GK104 but as the enthusiast bracket spars just as righteously.

If it ain’t broke… even when AMD revisited the architecture with Bonaire they basically matched on a smaller scale. Now 2 years of research and development under the belt Nvidia will be benchmark/assessed by this high-watermark, while it will also uncover the GK106 short comings in a 221mm2 part.
 
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Nov 2012, paid $239 for 7870 (included FarCry3).

Oh, it did have a $40 rebate, so $199
 
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I guess we should also ignore the fact that this rebranded release is a few weeks shy of the 2 year anniversary of the HD 7850...

I suppose you can buy a 7950 from a dude on the corner wearing a trench coat as well, but let's focus on actual listings. This has been gone over several times here already on these forums. Going of list prices, this is a huge performance boost over the 260x for a little more money. Also is very close to the 270 for much less money.

Rebranded or not in is STILL the best mid-range value as of now. Besides, what has team green done for midrange lately. They are killing the 650 ti boost and replacing with the GTX 750s. From what we know so far, they would have been BETTER OFF doing a rebrand of that card.
 
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As mentioned in the conclusion there is lots of thermal headroom. Saphire could target 75c and it would be near silent.
 
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But let's not ignore that we're months away from seeing the next node (20Nm) from TSMC

Yes, we are months away. Instead of being honest with consumers, both companies have decided to peddle existing cards to the market by rebranding. Why did they not just keep the existing models and just cut prices which would end up with the same product at the same price? Because they wouldn't be able to exploit the average consumer with the guise of novelty...

This duopoly does nothing to benefit consumers. Having reviews such as this one(at least w1zzard acknowledges it as a rebrand whereas may others don't) referring to the HD 7850 as the "previous generation option" only helps to propagate the illusion of a 1 year product cycle which no longer exists...
 
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the illusion of a 1 year product cycle which no longer exists...
Because node fab process has slowed and risk with such new nodes necessitates AMD/Nvidia have to be even more careful and judicious of each shrink as to when they can or should move. AMD got stung in the move to 28mm; higher cost, slow ramp-up of good chips… Neither want to be the one to find themselves in a repeat of that. So much of this "game" (business) hinges on TSCM and their proper execution. And that's why we are, where we are… today.
 
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The 650 Ti Boost still looking strong.

Glad I got my 7870 Tahiti LE for $139.99 OC's to 7950 speeds.
 
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