After the AMD event, we got a chance to go hands on with the PowerColor Radeon RX Vega 56 Nano, the most compact desktop graphics card based on the "Vega10" silicon. This product is so special that it got an exclusive unveiling by AMD as a "one more thing." The card's PCB itself it slightly under 5 mm longer than that of the original R9 Nano, but the cooler adds another centimeter to its length. We can only imagine what SFF enthusiasts can do with this card under a specially-design full-coverage water-block.It's also revealed that the card draws power from a combination of a 6-pin + 8-pin PCIe power connectors. The cooling solution consists of a dense aluminium fin-stack heatsink. A single 80 mm spinner ventilates this heatsink, and a plastic shroud covers it all up. Given that this card has specific "RX Vega 56" SKU marking and not an off-beat "RX Vega Nano" branding, we think this card will be as fast as a stock RX Vega 56, out of the box. Display outputs include three DisplayPort 1.4 and a HDMI 2.0. The MSRP for this card is set at USD $449.

20 Comments on PowerColor Radeon RX Vega 56 Nano Hands-on

#1 Ubersonic

You can imagine the guy who thought of this at the meeting:



Dude1: "Hey guys, I've had a great idea! You know how our Red Dragon Vega 56 card uses a short PCB? Well how about we replace the full length triple fan cooler with the one from the Fury Nano!"

Dude2: "Unless you downclock it to near RX580 performance it will throttle like crazy, the customers won't like it"

Dude1: "But by that point we will have their money"

Dude2: "Genius!" Posted on Jun 6th 2018, 11:06 Reply

#2 SkyN3T24

Will this use a vapour chamber like the original Nano Fury did? Also, they could have made the card a bit taller to fit a 92mm fan. And even though it will not sag, I wouldn't mind a backplate :D Posted on Jun 6th 2018, 11:10 Reply

#3 Midland Dog

this is a stupid launch from amd, they will possibly lose money from these products, an rx 580 refresh would have made them more money, and they desperately need to make more money, zen gave them momentum dont waste the money they made from that on a gpu that will perform like an overclocked rx580/1060 Posted on Jun 6th 2018, 12:38 Reply

#4 kruk







The reviewer also compares it to reference RX Vega 56 ... It certainly looks like Nano is just RX Vega 56 with short PCB, like it was speculated before ... Before people go into wild speculations about this cards performance and power consumption, here is a sneak preview from PC Games Hardware (German)The reviewer also compares it to reference RX Vega 56 ... It certainly looks like Nano is just RX Vega 56 with short PCB, like it was speculated before ... Posted on Jun 6th 2018, 13:12 Reply

#5 Vya Domus

Midland Dog this is a stupid launch from amd, they will possibly lose money from these products, an rx 580 refresh would have made them more money, and they desperately need to make more money, zen gave them momentum dont waste the money they made from that on a gpu that will perform like an overclocked rx580/1060 First of all this is not a product coming exclusively and directly from AMD , but rather from an AIB. Secondly it must have cost "peanuts" to put this thing together , it's not like they spent dozens of millions on it , they just redesigned the PCB and cooler , a small development cost that , again, was mostly taken by the AIB not AMD.



Oh , and this way faster than a 580/1060. First of all this is not a product coming exclusively and directly from AMD , but rather from an AIB. Secondly it must have cost "peanuts" to put this thing together , it's not like they spent dozens of millions on it , they just redesigned the PCB and cooler , a small development cost that , again, was mostly taken by the AIB not AMD.Oh , and this way faster than a 580/1060. Posted on Jun 6th 2018, 13:17 Reply

#6 Chloe Price

Midland Dog this is a stupid launch from amd, they will possibly lose money from these products, an rx 580 refresh would have made them more money, and they desperately need to make more money, zen gave them momentum dont waste the money they made from that on a gpu that will perform like an overclocked rx580/1060 This will left 1060/580 in the dust.



Hm, not a full chip like in R9 Nano. Well, 56 isn't that much slower and it has much lower power consumption. This will left 1060/580 in the dust.Hm, not a full chip like in R9 Nano. Well, 56 isn't that much slower and it has much lower power consumption. Posted on Jun 6th 2018, 13:24 Reply

#7 StrayKAT

How can people get excited about those Intel NUC's, and then suddenly be skeptical about this? Posted on Jun 6th 2018, 13:29 Reply

#8 iO

And now team up with Arctic to put an Accelero Mono on it. Posted on Jun 6th 2018, 13:49 Reply

#9 Th3pwn3r

StrayKAT How can people get excited about those Intel NUC's, and then suddenly be skeptical about this? For me it's the price. I bought my 1080 for a bit over $500 so I'd never buy this considering I don't need something small. For me it's the price. I bought my 1080 for a bit over $500 so I'd never buy this considering I don't need something small. Posted on Jun 6th 2018, 14:16 Reply

#10 Fatalfury

somebody said it had a TDP of -150W.. is that true???

if its so..its good else...bad Posted on Jun 6th 2018, 14:37 Reply

#11 jabbadap

Fatalfury somebody said it had a TDP of -150W.. is that true???

if its so..its good else...bad It has power delivery for 300W so most probably not a 150W tdp card( It has power delivery for 300W so most probably not a 150W tdp card( Albeit powercolor site says two 8-pin thus 375W delivery , but all pics have 8-pin and 6-pin) . Posted on Jun 6th 2018, 14:58 Reply

#12 iO

Fatalfury somebody said it had a TDP of -150W.. is that true???

if its so..its good else...bad It has the same 165W ASIC power just like a regular 210W Vega 56. In the video it even goes up to around 300W with increased power limit... It has the same 165W ASIC power just like a regular 210W Vega 56. In the video it even goes up to around 300W with increased power limit... Posted on Jun 6th 2018, 15:19 Reply

#13 kastriot

My my, most failed gpu of the year VEGA Amd, shit prices, shitty miners and frustrated desktop gamers.. Posted on Jun 6th 2018, 15:29 Reply

#14 Vya Domus

kastriot most failed gpu of the year VEGA Amd And essentially sold out , still is in some places actually. It was anything but a failure. And essentially sold out , still is in some places actually. It was anything but a failure. Posted on Jun 6th 2018, 15:30 Reply

#15 Casecutter

They went up on Newegg for $450, and whatever they got as stock is sold-out, gone...

If there was one to buy at that price I wouldn't have hesitated to slap down a CC on one. Ev3en before a review just get one in my hands and not even un-wrap it! If the reviews aren't super great I can just return it or if good and what I expect keep it... even better it's not going to remain at $450, just make like 25% selling it... Posted on Jun 6th 2018, 18:11 Reply

#16 hastalabs

ugly card ... we need more RGB card Posted on Jun 7th 2018, 4:32 Reply

#17 DeathtoGnomes

Why build a full card when you can half it's size for twice the power consumption? Posted on Jun 7th 2018, 7:12 Reply

#18 Th3pwn3r

Vya Domus And essentially sold out , still is in some places actually. It was anything but a failure. That depends on how you look at it. Things are often products of good timing. If there were any other options these might not have sold half as much. Being realistic ALL cards wouldn't have sold like they did if not for miners. Miners aside, VEGA was mostly a flop although 56 is the better of the two all around. That depends on how you look at it. Things are often products of good timing. If there were any other options these might not have sold half as much. Being realistic ALL cards wouldn't have sold like they did if not for miners. Miners aside, VEGA was mostly a flop although 56 is the better of the two all around. Posted on Jun 7th 2018, 14:17 Reply

#19 Caelestis

PowerColor Radeon RX Vega 56 Nano Edition for: € 449,- iO And now team up with Arctic to put an Accelero Mono on it. I don't think this will happen. I asked Arctic last year about a GPU cooler for Vega via Twitter and they replied, that there are currently no plans for it.



I don't think this will happen. I asked Arctic last year about a GPU cooler for Vega via Twitter and they replied, that there are currently no plans for it. Posted on Jun 7th 2018, 14:40 Reply