Allen
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Ohio USA
FWIW: Since the thread is partly about AMD "hardware", a note about my latest AMD purchase experience. Not making any claims -- I know other folks here have better hardware than I do.
Ordered Sunday and received a SAPPHIRE PULSE Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24GB on Tuesday -- $940 base cost -- included a free $100 "Starfield" (but, I already owned that) and a $200 off coupon (I won't use). $940 cash was the lowest price RX7900XTX at the time I placed the order; also, I like Sapphire.
My Rationale:
I was going to wait for the AMD RX8900XTX (or equal) series. But, a fairly solid rumor has it that there will not be a "high end" AMD 8000GPU. Given that, since the RX7900XTX was said to be 50% higher FPS at 4K resolution than my RX6900XT, I decided it would be fun/okay to buy an RX7900XTX on sale.
As shown in the attached chart, the only GPU better for 4K Raster Performance is the RTX4090. And, the RTX4090 has the best Ray Tracing (for those who use Ray Tracing). The cheapest RTX4090 was $1600 during my purchase.
I only care about Raster Performance. All the "high end" Game Engines already have high quality Reflections, Shadows, Light Shafts built in -- with no FPS, True-Resolution, or Artifacts penalty. Thus, Ray Tracing is redundant in games I play. I've tried it; but, now I leave Ray Tracing turned off -- and use in-game settings for maximum/ultra 4K detail.
In my tests, with setup Ultra at 4K, the new RX7900XTX is roughly 53% to 60% faster FPS than my RX6900XT. Truthfully, I only "measure" FPS. I don't "see" FPS unless the image is below 30FPS and "choppy" (i.e. under 20FPS at moments). Other folks may have "better/quicker eyes". The RX7900XTX is roughly 60FPS+ at 4K Ultra in the "Witcher 3" I'm currently playing -- without any FPS increasing AMD Software "gimmicks" turned on.
I too went from an XFX Merc 6900 XT to an XFX Merc 7900 XTX and see similar improvements. I play games at 3840x1600 on a 144hz monitor and saw a good improvements in FPS and fluid feeling.
Allen
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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 8,764
Ohio USA
Wouldn't you know it. My RX7900XTX was marked down from $940 to $890 less 5% = $846 today (at Amazon).
I had previously missed that sale by 45 minutes (limited stock) before buying at $940. I waited a couple days; but, I didn't think it would be revived.
Of course, I have 30 days to return the $940 card. And, could jump on the $846 card right now. But, I don't "play that way".
Win some, lose the rest
EDIT: Boom! 45 minutes later, the above Amazon sale was "sold out". Just like last time. I feel better.
Last edited by Allen; 09/12/2310:30 PM. Reason: Situation Changed Quickly
Allen
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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 8,764
Ohio USA
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AMD to Sacrifice Flagship RDNA 4 GPUs to AI Chips
The company is reportedly diverting scarce resources from gaming to AI, where the profit margins are much higher.
AMD didn't take on Nvidia in the current round of flagship GPUs .., ceding the high ground to the RTX 4090, which it's stated was a conscious choice instead of a mere imbalance of engineering prowess between the companies.
the existing RX 7900 XTX will remain the flagship AMD GPU until RDNA 5 arrives sometime in 2026 or beyond. In the meantime, AMD will reportedly allocate its future wafers from TSMC to its real money makers instead of using them for high-end GPUs. This is not a far-fetched idea, as Nvidia is reportedly already doing that now with some of its 40-series GPUs.
More validation to the above RX7900XTX purchase holding me until 2026 or beyond.
Allen
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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 8,764
Ohio USA
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GPU Manufacturers Slash GeForce RTX 4070 Price to $549
Currently, Amazon.com, BestBuy, B&H Photo Video, and Newegg have GeForce RTX 4070 graphics cards available for $549 from Asus, Gigabyte, and Zotac.
Nvidia's GeForce RTX 4070 carries an MSRP of $599, but AMD's Radeon RX 7800 XT is priced at $499. Despite being priced lower, AMD's offering sometimes outperforms its more expensive rival in many games that depend on rasterization, with performance that's close to the competitor in some ray tracing-supporting games as well.
Allen
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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 8,764
Ohio USA
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AMD launches EPYC 8004 Sienna CPU series, up to 64 Zen4c cores and SP6 socket
AMD EPYC Genoa, Genoa-X, Bergamo, and Sienna all share a common feature: they are powered by AMD Zen4 architecture and are strategically tailored to cater to the high-core count market segment within data centers, cloud computing, and the edge computing sector.
Sienna processors are specifically engineered to optimize Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) metrics, focusing on Performance per Watt per Dollar. AMD positions them as ideal solutions for energy-efficient cloud services, intelligent edge computing, and telecom deployments.
Allen
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Ohio USA
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AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D Dragon Range Gaming CPU Could Be Coming To More Laptops Soon
AMD's fastest gaming CPU for laptops, the Ryzen 9 7945HX3D "Dragon Range" is expected to come to more platforms soon.
Last month, AMD and ASUS joined hands to launch the first laptop featuring the brand new Ryzen 9 7945HX3D CPU-powered design within the ROG SCAR 17 X3D. This laptop not only offered a total of 16 Zen 4 cores but also was the first to feature the 3D V-cache technology which is part of the latest Dragon Range" family.
AMD plans to bring the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D to more laptops either by the end of this year or early next year.
Allen
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Ohio USA
Here's the most advanced RTX4090 yet.
Quote
Double the RTX 4090 MSRP: ASUS ROG Matrix debuts with 2.67 GHz boost, liquid metal and $3,200 price tag
Priced at $3,200, the RTX 4090 ROG MATRIX stands as the most expensive model in the AD102 GeForce lineup, effectively doubling the official $1,599 MSRP for the RTX 4090.
it boasts the highest GPU clock among all RTX 4090 models.
The GPU clock has been set at an impressive 2670 MHz, representing a 6% boost above NVIDIA’s reference specifications.
For those who want the fastest regardless of cost, it sports better cooling, quieter running, and other features.
Allen
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Ohio USA
The reason I support AMD over Intel is still being litigated after many years.
Basically, Intel paid PC makers and others "under the table" to use Intel CPUs and NOT USE AMD CPUs -- at a time when AMD had the "best" CPUs. That nearly put AMD out of business and gave Intel freedom to charge a lot and make few improvements in its CPUs. This was proved in USA and European courts and Intel was fined over $1 Billion. However, Intel litigated that and refused to pay.
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EU Re-Imposes $400 Million Fine on Intel
the European Commission has once again fined Intel, this time for €376.36 million ($400.26 million), citing the company's misuse of its market dominance in the computer chip sector. This decision comes in the wake of the EU's General Court overturning a previous fine of 1.06 billion euros imposed on Intel in 2009. The initial penalty was for Intel's attempts to undermine AMD on the market of x86 CPUs.
The focus of the new penalty is on Intel's transactions between 2002 and 2006 with major computer producers such as Acer, HP, and Lenovo.
Intel's dealings with these manufacturers were allegedly aimed at stalling or even halting the introduction of products that incorporated CPUs from their competitors back in the early 2000s. Back then, Intel competed mostly against AMD, though there were other smaller x86 CPU suppliers. The court, in its recent judgment, recognized these rebates as a clear misuse of Intel's powerful market position.
In summary, while Intel's market practices from 2002 to 2006 have been acknowledged as abusive, the exact penalties and their justifications have been a point of contention. The recent fine by the European Commission seeks to rectify past oversights
Of course, even if Intel finally pays the 2009 price, inflation and the damage to AMD has made Intel billions of dollars.
Allen
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Ohio USA
Artificial Intelligence (AI) products are the new big moneymakers for Nvidia and AMD. Both get most of their chips from TSMC.
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TSMC Moving Towards “Aggressive” Expansion of CoWoS Packaging Facilities For AMD & NVIDIA AI Chips
Nvidia, AMD, Amazon rush orders have TSMC scrambling to buy CoWoS chip packaging machinery 30% over existing orders, highlighting the ongoing AI boom, media report. TSMC had planned to expand CoWoS capacity to 15-20,000 wafers per month in the 1st half-2024, but the new machinery orders could raise that to 25-30,000, from 12,000 now.
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Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate (CoWoS) is a two-point-five dimensional integrated circuit (2.5D IC) through-silicon via (TSV) interposer-based packaging technology designed by TSMC for high-performance applications.
Allen
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Ohio USA
Preliminary investigations have begun -- but, no accusations, yet.
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EU Investigates GPU Market Abuse in Wake of Nvidia Office Raid
The European Commission has informally started to gather opinions on potential unfair practices related to the GPUs used for artificial intelligence (AI) applications, Bloomberg reports.
If these initial probes culminate in a formal EU antitrust investigation and Nvidia is found guilty, the company could face substantial penalties that could account for 10% of its global annual revenue. In Nvidia's case, that would be billions of dollars.
The EU's probe stems from concerns about anticompetitive behaviors in the burgeoning AI chip arena.
The European Commission is in the preliminary stages of collating information
Meanwhile, France appears to be running a parallel probe. The French authorities are particularly keen on understanding Nvidia's predominant role, its pricing strategies, and the repercussions of the ongoing chip shortage on pricing. The alignment of the EU and French investigations underscores the gravity of the concerns surrounding Nvidia's market conduct.
This dominant market position, while a testament to Nvidia's innovation and ability to make bets on the right technologies, is now under the microscope due to potential antitrust implications.
Allen
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Ohio USA
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Microsoft CTO: Nvidia Rules AI, but AMD Will Compete Soon
The CTO refused to confirm earlier reports it's working with AMD to battle Nvidia in the AI arms race.
Microsoft is at the forefront of the AI arms race as it seeks to scale its cloud operations fast enough to stay ahead of Google, Meta, and other competitors.
Scott [the CTO] .. had some kind words for AMD, a Microsoft partner for many years. It uses AMD's custom silicon in its Xbox gaming consoles and its Epyc CPUs for its Azure cloud platform. “They’re making increasingly compelling GPU offerings that I think are going to become more and more important to the marketplace in the coming years,” said Scott, according to CNBC. His comments caused AMD's stock to jump almost 5%.
Allen
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Ohio USA
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Windows 11 update may reset AMD Adrenalin GPU driver settings
The Adrenalin settings will reset with each system reboot.
Microsoft has just released a cumulative preview update listed as KB5030310. This update enabled the new functionality of copilot, a new AI-driven assistant that can perform Windows tasks and connect with the web to provide the latest information.
According to some reports, the Windows 11 KB5030310 update can cause some issues with the AMD Adrenalin drivers, such as resetting the custom settings in the control panel every time the system reboots. This problem does not affect the graphics driver functionality, but it can be annoying for users who like to tweak their settings.
It is expected that AMD and Microsoft will provide a fix for this issue quickly.
Allen
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Ohio USA
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AMD’s Best Gaming CPU, The Ryzen 7 7800X3D, Is Now Available For $100 US Less at $349
The CPU maintains a TDP of just 120W and has an official MSRP of $449 US but recent price discounts through various retailers have brought it below the $400 US barrier.
At Newegg, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is now available as low as 349 USD thanks to the "TECCXA56" promo code which can be applied to the already discounted 399 USD price and slashes $50 US off. Furthermore, you will also be getting a copy of Starfield that is worth $60 US.
Nuts. This is the second time (recently) that I jumped at the wrong time. I very recently paid $426 for an R7 7800X3D -- and thought I had done "okay".
FWIW: The R7 7800X3D PC is running now on my workshop test desk -- just finishing up the build. It works.
Allen
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FWIW the outcome of the above R7-7800X3D purchase.
Our R7-7800X3D PC is operational in my Wife's home office. It has full gaming capability and over 300 Steam Games installed. But, its primarily intended as our home's "book keeping and bill paying" machine.
The specifications follow in the same form as my signature lines.
Allen
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Joined: Oct 1999
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Ohio USA
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AMD’s first AM4 motherboards still getting firmware updates 6 years and 8 months after launch
AMD 300 series motherboards still getting new BIOSes, Intel 300 series not so much
The first AMD AM4 (X370/B350/A320) motherboards were released in February 2017.
A quick investigation into this claim has confirmed that all major motherboard manufacturers have indeed released updates in the past 3-4 months. These updates include the latest AGESA firmware update along with some security enhancements.
[AMD] users still have the potential to upgrade their 6-year-old Ryzen CPUs with the 5000X3D series CPUs, which can significantly boost gaming performance.
Meanwhile, the Intel 300 series platform, which was released in 2017 as well, has not seen an update since 2021.
One of the AMD cost/benefit selling points is longer term support.
Allen
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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 8,764
Ohio USA
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Nvidia Is Moving to Annual Product Releases to Keep Its Lead in AI Hardware
It remains to be seen if the new schedule will also apply to its GeForce brand of video cards.
The company's move is smart, as demand for Nvidia's products currently exceeds supply, leading to obscene prices. This scarcity could motivate companies to look elsewhere for solutions, which includes developing custom silicon, as Microsoft is reportedly doing with Athena. Google and Amazon have already taken this path with their Tensor GPUs and Graviton chips,
Allen
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AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU Is An Amazing Value For Gamers For Just $299 US At Microcenter
Even the Core i5-13600K which usually falls around the same price can't match this beast of a gaming chip which is so efficient, that it pulls ahead of the flagship Core i9-13900K in most instances while consuming less power than the 13600K.
the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D can receive an additional $30 US off when a compatible AM5 motherboard is purchased. Considering that most new builders will need to buy an AM5 motherboard with the CPU, you are in for an even better price on the chip. At $299 US, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is an unbeatable processor and the best gaming value there is right now.
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Intel 14th Gen CPUs Tested In Factorio, Get Crushed By AMD Ryzen 7000X3D & 5000X3D Chips
The 14th Gen chips include the Core i91-4900K, Core i7-14700K & Core i5-14600K. All of these CPUs are expected to launch next week and we know pretty much everything there is about these chips
Just an FYI AMD pulled the Oct. release graphics driver due to the anti-lag feature triggering multiplayer bans on some games. They are working on a solution...
Other than that, I have to say I installed the driver before it was pulled and things have been behaving quite nicely in regards to bug fixes and performance on my 7900 XTX.
Allen
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Joined: Oct 1999
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Ohio USA
TSMC makes chips for AMD, Nvidia, and others.
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TSMC Places Confidence In 3nm Node, Compares It To Intel 18A: Better Maturity, Cost & Delivery Time
we shouldn't jump to a conclusion just yet, since the performance figures will become evident once the processes are actually implemented into mainstream industry products.
