Last Thursday, AMD launched the Radeon HD 7970 graphics card based on its new 28 nm "Tahiti" silicon, but it remained tight-lipped about the specifications of the more important SKU that will be based on it, the Radeon HD 7950. The HD 7970 will carry a launch price of US $550, making the HD 7950 an SKU to watch out for. According to details released by XTReview, the "Tahiti Pro" or HD 7950 will be carved out this way:The core clock speed, the exact memory clock speed, and more importantly, the target price-point, remain unknown. The Radeon HD 7950 is expected to be launched on the 9th of January.

46 Comments on Radeon HD 7950 Specifications Leaked

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#1 btarunr

Editor & Senior Moderator Many Thanks to stefanels for the tip. Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 17:27 Reply

#2 the54thvoid

It will be interesting to see where it falls. If it's as fast as a GTX580 (who knows?) and they price it lower then it will be bad news for NV. If it's built in the same design with same cooler, surely should be quieter too. Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 17:31 Reply

#3 BrooksyX

Im wanting to pick up a 1.5gb 7950 if they ever see the light of day. I think that should more then enough to push 4800x900 eyefinity. Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 17:39 Reply

#4 afw

I'm a little confused here :confused: ... the 7970 has 33% more streaming processors and more memory bandwidth than 6970 ... but its only around 30% faster than the 6970 ... y is that ... ??? may be im missing something ... :o Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 17:44 Reply

#5 Lionheart

This will be like AMD's version of a overclocked GTX 580 or GTX 585 but more bang for buck ^_^, uses less power, more quieter and efficient ......Well hoping anyways! Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 17:48 Reply

#6 Shihabyooo

I think it will fit between the 570 and the 580. Though I think the pricing would be that of the 580. Of course the price justification would be backed up by hand picked benchmarks of games where AMD GPUs excel at.



Now seriously, anyone else is curious why Nvidia's still lurking in the shadows ? All the news lately have been about the 7k series. Is Kepler going to be an epic ? Or is the gain's so minimal it would outshine Bulldozer's fail ? Someone gimme some news, I'm dying here ! Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 18:09 Reply

#7 cadaveca

My name is Dave afw I'm a little confused here :confused: ... the 7970 has 33% more streaming processors and more memory bandwidth than 6970 ... but its only around 30% faster than the 6970 ... y is that ... ??? may be im missing something ... :o i has all this extra, but consumes less power. That's enough of an excuse.







I mean, we could also ocnsider that there is also a 45 MHz core bump, and a rather significant memory bandwidth boost. An architechtural analysis would b very interesting, IMHO. i has all this extra, but consumes less power. That's enough of an excuse.I mean, we could also ocnsider that there is also a 45 MHz core bump, and a rather significant memory bandwidth boost. An architechtural analysis would b very interesting, IMHO. Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 18:12 Reply

#8 borden5

waiting to see hd 7850 and 7870 Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 18:15 Reply

#9 afw

cadaveca i has all this extra, but consumes less power. That's enough of an excuse.



I mean, we could also ocnsider that there is also a 45 MHz core bump, and a rather significant memory bandwidth boost. An architechtural analysis would b very interesting, IMHO. Im not well versed in the tech stuff ... but just asking :D ... suppose the 7970 has the same amount of streaming processors, same memory, same core/memory clocks like the 6970... then ... it'll be slower than the 6970... right ??? so only possible +ve factors will be less power and less heat and the new features ... :confused:



does that mean GCN is less efficient/powerful than the old architecture ??? Im not well versed in the tech stuff ... but just asking :D ... suppose the 7970 has the same amount of streaming processors, same memory, same core/memory clocks like the 6970... then ... it'll be slower than the 6970... right ??? so only possible +ve factors will be less power and less heat and the new features ... :confused:does that mean GCN is less efficient/powerful than the old architecture ??? Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 18:18 Reply

#10 cadaveca

My name is Dave Can't tell ya...I don't ahve a card, so cannot bench it with the programs I am familiar with.





Also, teh "stream processors" are of a very differnt type, and I'm sure cache organization has changed as well. It's quite a different beast, and drivers probably need some work as well.





The real fact of the matter here is that these cards are not really meant for single-monitor use. A 6950 is fast enough for that. These cards are intended for high-resolution use, with multiple monitors, and are simply by nature of designing for that, good for other stuff as well.



That's why they are priced so high...they are for high-end performance, not really anything else(Uh 3GB for VRAM??:laugh:). I'm sure performance charateristics when under high-resolution loads may paint a different performance picture.



Although, the documentation I've see nfor Eyefinity performance seems a bit, well, biased. Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 18:25 Reply

#11 blibba

afw I'm a little confused here :confused: ... the 7970 has 33% more streaming processors and more memory bandwidth than 6970 ... but its only around 30% faster than the 6970 ... y is that ... ??? may be im missing something ... :o Evidently the memory bandwidth is overkill, so only more stream processors are increasing performance anything remotely like linearly. Evidently the memory bandwidth is overkill, so only more stream processors are increasing performance anything remotely like linearly. Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 18:27 Reply

#12 Crap Daddy





lenzfire.com/2011/12/entire-gcn-lineup-hd-7000-series-specs-and-price-revealed-60538/ 7950 with 1.5 GB apparently will be launched in March according to this: Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 18:43 Reply

#13 erocker

* Shihabyooo I think it will fit between the 570 and the 580. So, 6970 speeds for more money. Doesn't sound very win to me.:ohwell: So, 6970 speeds for more money. Doesn't sound very win to me.:ohwell: Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 18:52 Reply

#14 Crap Daddy

It should be above 580 at 450$ as you can see in the link I posted. There's the 7890 that will fit with the 570 and the 6970, more expensive though. Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 18:58 Reply

#15 Zubasa

blibba Evidently the memory bandwidth is overkill, so only more stream processors are increasing performance anything remotely like linearly. More like the other way around :ohwell:

Its most likely that the same damned 32 ROPs are holding the card back more than anything.

It is quite evident that even the 5850 is almost as fast as the 5870 clock for clock, and this is also true for the 6950 and 6970.

They keep slapping more shader power on these cards without addressing the most likely bottleneck. More like the other way around :ohwell:Its most likely that the same damned 32 ROPs are holding the card back more than anything.It is quite evident that even the 5850 is almost as fast as the 5870 clock for clock, and this is also true for the 6950 and 6970.They keep slapping more shader power on these cards without addressing the most likely bottleneck. Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 19:03 Reply

#16 pantherx12

afw I'm a little confused here :confused: ... the 7970 has 33% more streaming processors and more memory bandwidth than 6970 ... but its only around 30% faster than the 6970 ... y is that ... ??? may be im missing something ... :o The 7970 has 25% more shaders not 33. The 7970 has 25% more shaders not 33. Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 19:03 Reply

#17 dj-electric

Dear god, Forget world piece

Forget the hunger

Forget the wars



I want the HD7950 to unlock to HD7970



Thank you, amen. Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 19:06 Reply

#18 James1o1o

I haven't been paying much attention to the 7xxx series posts but could someone just give me a Yes/No answer to my question?



Is this series of cards looking like a quick "refresh" series similar to the 8000 to 9000 series Nvidia did? Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 19:26 Reply

#19 Vancha

James1o1o I haven't been paying much attention to the 7xxx series posts but could someone just give me a Yes/No answer to my question?



Is this series of cards looking like a quick "refresh" series similar to the 8000 to 9000 series Nvidia did? No. No. Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 19:29 Reply

#20 Spaceman Spiff

Dj-ElectriC Dear god, Forget world piece

Forget the hunger

Forget the wars



I want the HD7950 to unlock to HD7970



Thank you, amen. Would love to see this as well. I jumped on my first 6970 on launch day only to find out 6950's could unlock about a week later...:slap:



Although I'll more than likely be skipping this generation all together...probably....maybe...:laugh: Would love to see this as well. I jumped on my first 6970 on launch day only to find out 6950's could unlock about a week later...:slap:Although I'll more than likely be skipping this generation all together...probably....maybe...:laugh: Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 19:31 Reply

#21 Benetanegia

pantherx12 The 7970 has 25% more shaders not 33. It has 33% more shaders than the HD6970.



2048/1536 *100 = 133%



or



2048 - 1536 = 512 // 512/1536*100 = 33%



HD6970 has 25% less shaders. It has 33% more shaders than the HD6970.2048/1536 *100 = 133%or2048 - 1536 = 512 // 512/1536*100 = 33%HD6970 has 25%shaders. Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 20:26 Reply

#22 MxPhenom 216

ASIC Engineer I want one of these! Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 20:41 Reply

#23 pantherx12

Benetanegia It has 33% more shaders than the HD6970.



2048/1536 *100 = 133%



or



2048 - 1536 = 512 // 512/1536*100 = 33%



HD6970 has 25% less shaders. :laugh:





I blame my fail on it being christmas! :laugh: :laugh:I blame my fail on it being christmas! :laugh: Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 21:34 Reply

#24 BrooksyX

Crap Daddy 7950 with 1.5 GB apparently will be launched in March according to this:



lenzfire.com/2011/12/entire-gcn-lineup-hd-7000-series-specs-and-price-revealed-60538/ Perfect. Just in time for my birthday.



Do you guys think a 7950 would run on a 500w psu with an overclocked 2500k? I am currently running it with a 6870 that has a mild OC.



edit: also hopefully by march nvidia will have their next generation out so card prices will reflect competition. Perfect. Just in time for my birthday.Do you guys think a 7950 would run on a 500w psu with an overclocked 2500k? I am currently running it with a 6870 that has a mild OC.edit: also hopefully by march nvidia will have their next generation out so card prices will reflect competition. Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 21:35 Reply

#25 imitation

BrooksyX Perfect. Just in time for my birthday.



Do you guys think a 7950 would run on a 500w psu with an overclocked 2500k? I am currently running it with a 6870 that has a mild OC.



edit: also hopefully by march nvidia will have their next generation out so card prices will reflect competition. Sure, why not? A 7970-equipped PC consumes around 350W (max, not peak), so unless you have a no-name china PSU, you'll be fine. Sure, why not? A 7970-equipped PC consumes around 350W (max, not peak), so unless you have a no-name china PSU, you'll be fine. Posted on Dec 26th 2011, 22:32 Reply