HD3850 Memory problem !!!

[HD3850]

Hello to all. I recently bought a new video card. It's a Gigabyte HD3850 with 256Mb GDDR3 memory. The default clocks on this kind of cards is 668/1656 Mhz, but mine have only 668/1400 Mhz ?! I installed all kinds of display drivers like Catalyst 7.12, 8.1, WarCat Xtreme-G & Omega latest driver, and still got only 1400 Mhz memory clock! When i overclock the card i can get 740 Mhz on core & only 1500 Mhz on memory before having heavy artifacts !!! Why does it show & have only 1400 Mhz instead of default 1656 Mhz ??! PLEASE HELP

 

[Darknova]

Is that what it said on the box? Or what was advertised on the website you got it from?

 

[HD3850]

On the BOX doesn't mention the clock speeds BUT where in purchased the card it's 668/1656 Mhz! Maybe i will send back the card and buy another !?

 

[Darknova]

I would take it back. I've just been looking around and the reference speed for the HD3850 is 1656Mhz.

Take it back, get a refund and go somewhere else.

 

[HD3850]

So after doing some research, in one review it is mentioned that this videocard from Gigabyte with the Zalman cooler has the memory clocks only at 1400Mhz (with Hynix 1.4ns chips). Where i bought it it was cheaper than other HD3850's (HIS, Sapphire or GeCube) with 25-30$, no wonder why was so cheap . But there it was mentioned that this card have the default memory speeds @ 1656Mhz and not 1400Mhz like it does!

I managed to overclock at 750/1700 with RivaTuner, but now it's stays at 730/1600 with CCC (Catalyst 8.1). I think i will keep this card for some while

Here is the link with the review (this has 512Mb and not 256Mb like mine)
http://www.hardwarezone.com/articles/view.php?id=2469&cid=3&pg=2

 

[Cold Storm]

here is a link to our hd3870 mod thread.. We are also doing the 3850 in there. Tigger has had good on the mods with the 3850 while Rm started the thread.

 

[KainXS]

all I can say is wow, conventional memory mods will not work for you, if you flash a bios you risk killing that card since the memory is only rated at 700Mhz vs the standard 900mhz and 1000mhz with the other 3850's

that ram is the same as whats found on the bliss 7800GS and its said to only hit a little under 900.

I have a 3850 and I can hit nearly 1100 with my cards memory, you got screwed by gigabyte, but then again you should have checked the card before you bought it.

Try to return it is all I can say

 

[KainXS]

can you run the fur benchmark so I can tell you how much performance you are losing

 

[Ripper3]

It's been incorrectly advertised, so they should allow you to return it, just, don't mention the OCing
I had no idea the Gigabyte ran lower memory clocks. If anything, the better cooling should allow higher speeds to be run, so I'm wondering why they chose the inferior 1.4ns RAM.
Either way, take it back, and get something that is completely reference, unless there's one with a better stock cooler, but with the same clocks or higher as reference.