Guide to Radeon HD 8000-series GPUs

[banzaigtv]

This Wikipedia article shows a good illustration of an information database for the new Radeon models. But keep in mind, though, that the OEM versions are already released for pre-built PCs, but they are rebranded 7000-series GPUs, hence the "Cape Verdi" and "Tahiti" architectures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Islands_(GPU_family)

[Daddio]

What you are saying is...
That the "new " 800 series cards are OEM only (odd exption) just a rebadge of the old card numbers to conform with OEM requirements to show NEW products every year

So folks on the forum, don't buy them just look carefully at the SPecs as they will be tha same as current versions?

Agreed :)

[banzaigtv]

The non-OEM models are the actual official 8000-series models, so don't let the thread description fool you.

[Daddio]

Sadly they are not

Only available to OEM's not for the public as when you compare then you will see

Just have a look here: they are still goood stuff regardless marketing makes me puke

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6570/amds-annual-gpu-rebadge-radeon-hd-8000-series-for-oems

[banzaigtv]

It's not like all 8000-series GPUs are rebranded 7000-series models. This is a next-generation series, so I don't see how it would duplicate the current generation. If that's the case and there is no performance improvement, then I'll decide to go with an NVIDIA GTX 760 as my next GPU. I'll wait until the new models are released and reviewed before making a decision.

[Daddio]

Yuo are correct in that a NEW series will be out soon but not just yet

The link shows how thay have changed the current numbers to new ones just for OEM's

as I have mentioned above - before you buy check it out so you are not buying old spec cards with just a new number, OK?

[banzaigtv]

I know. Usually brands, such as MSI, Sapphire, and XFX are not OEM versions, but I would double check the GPU before purchase.

[Daddio]

As should we all lol

[Adam2034]

Will there be any directx versions exclusive to this series? If not i'll get the 7950.

[banzaigtv]

Publicado originalmente por Nick:

Will there be any directx versions exclusive to this series? If not i'll get the 7950.

DirectX 11.1 is new to the 8000 series. If you have Windows 8, then get the 8000 series. This new GPU series should be optimized for Windows 8.

[Adam2034]

Banzaigtv... the 7950 supports DX 11.1 on Windows 8.

[banzaigtv]

Publicado originalmente por Nick:

Banzaigtv... the 7950 supports DX 11.1 on Windows 8.

Oh, didn't notice.

[Daddio]

As do all of them lol

Starting with the AMD Radeon™ HD 7000 Series, AMD Radeon™ graphics hardware is built to support two key technologies: the DirectX® 11.1 API and a new way of designing GPU drivers called “Windows Display Driver Model 1.2” (WDDM 1.2).1 Together, these technologies enable a range of new features for Windows® 8 and supporting software.

[banzaigtv]

OK, so what advantages would I have with DirectX 11.1 over 11.0? I know about the native 3D support, but are there any games yet out there that support 11.1? If I finalize my decision to upgrade my GPU this year, then I am narrowing my selection down to either an HD 8850, 8870, or GTX 760.

[Daddio]

No advantages that you would notice, it imp[roves, add a few (currently) minor bit and bobs, but (importnat) may become worthwhile in the future - its up to the game developers to fully implement it and as Nvidia have not fully implimented it in there GPU's the developers have not fully utilised it
Nvidia sell more Gaming GPU's that ATI/AMD not that may or may not be a good thing I have no view