5850: Reference vs Custom

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sonic_boom

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I've been looking to get a 5850 for a while now, but since I've been trying to get one at under $300 my purchase keeps on getting delayed. (Maybe I'm just not looking in the right places I dunno)

Anyways, these days it looks like most of them for sale are ones with custom cooling and from everything I'm reading it seems that those do not overclock as well due to most if not all of them not being able to overvolt. Will that make a huge difference? Will these cards maybe be able to overvolt better in the future with an update or something? Should I go out of my way and possibly pay more to get a reference card?
 
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tribulator135

tribulator135

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Either should have the same performance and overclocking, maybe with only very nominal differences. When people are talking about the voltages of custom vs. reference boards it is only because they are looking into volt mods which it doesn't seem like your interested in doing anyways. Some custom boards will have different stock voltages as well but they are still within ati's limitations which are pretty slim.If you are worried about that you should be able to google the card your looking in to and find its voltages. But I dont think you would notice any difference if you bought one with a custom pcb.
 
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shadow187

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This one is only $320, $8 with shipping.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121375&cm_re=5850-_-14-121-375-_-Product&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID=

There is a HUGE difference in being able to overvolt. You can get an HD5850 up to HD5870 levels in terms of performance, and still be able to produce good temps.
 
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tribulator135

tribulator135

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My bad im not too into the 5xxx series yet as of the fact that i havnt saved enough money to buy my 5870 yet, i assumed they would be similar to the 4xxx and what not in terms of how easily you can change the voltages (i thought that you would actually have to do a voltmod and that is what he was talking about), you just gave me a good piece of advice when i end up buying my new card lol ^^
 
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sonic_boom

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I did notice that Asus card seemed to be one of the few custom cards that support overvolting. Seems like a good option.

As for the MSI, judging by the reviews I've been reading, it looks like people arent having much luck overvolting using the MSI software.
 
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shadow187

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You can flash the BIOS, it's just that there's a chance of killing the card. The mfctur will know what you did (unless you burn the card, scratch it, whatever), and they won't send another one.

MSI uses MSI AfterBurner which is reported to work nicely, I don't know a clu why it wouldn't work with an MSI card (MSI Lightning edition?).
 
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wolfram23

wolfram23

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Hey not sure what this lack of overvolting is about. I have a Sapphire 5850 with the stock cooling unit. Using MSI Afterburner, I've got it up to 850 core/1260 mem speeds which is higher than a 5870, it's stable and not going over about 75C with the fan not going over about 37% (I have it set to go from 20% to 40% between 50C and 80C). You can unlock voltage adjustments in Afterburner - I've had to up them a few points to get it stable. I'm still going to try and further OC it but ran out of time so tonight I plan to do what I can. The stock cooler is really good, it's just loud at the higher speeds. 40% is an acceptible noise level with the PC on my desk just beside me, although it becomes the loudest fan (and I have 4 on my case and 1 on the CPU cooler). At 100% it lowers temps by 5C or more but it gets really loud. (I mean 5C above what it does at 40%)

Just FYI if you have 64bit OS then when you run Afterburner, you'll need to manually load a lower speed profile as the auto 2D/3D settings won't work. Basically over 775/1125 the card will "stick" in it's OC settings, but at or below those it will idle at super low speeds. So, if gaming load the OC setting, if just browsing in Windows or whatever load the stock settings.
 
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notty22

notty22

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All 5850's are pretty good at their stock clocks of 750. Most people will not o/c, even less will add voltage. Getting to 850 the stock 5870 clock is attainable in almost all cases. If ATI made this any easier they would not sell 5870's. Of course the 5870 can o/c as well, they are the best silicon~chips from the wafer with the full 1600 SP's vs the 1440 in the 5850.
 
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GoZFast

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notty doesnt have a 5850 in hand I guess ;D

950 is guaranteed and 1Ghz most likely on the Asus one, waiting on ovrclkr results.

5850 more worth over 5870 LMAO Even considering the extra shaders.
 
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OvrClkr

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Here are some temps so you can compare...

ASUS 5850 DirectCU "stock"

CuCore-Idle.png






 
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notty22

notty22

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:) D. But your exaggerating. I do a lot of reading and have a fine memory. Whether reviews or user message boards, you can't back that statement up. 5850's avg 850mhz , stock voltage.
Use for example http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ . The 5870's do clock higher, they have had just one model hit 1ghz.
955mhz msi 5870 Lightning http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/R5870_HD_5870_Lightning/32.html
850mhz, this model can software volt, with 1.35 it hit 970mhz ASUS EAH 5850 TOP DirectCU http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/EAH_5850_TOP_DirectCu/31.html

880mhz HIS HD 5850 iCooler V Turbo http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/HIS/HD_5850_iCooler_V_Turbo/32.html
Those are fine numbers, o/c . I'm not arguing anything else, except the exaggerated myth that 950-1ghz is somehow common.
 
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GoZFast

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Some truth in your post but I forgot to say voltage, so restatement,

Overvloted safely and cool temps, 950 is guaranteed and 1Ghz most likely on the Asus one xD

950-1Ghz is not a myth xD

Edit xD: 970 at 1.25V Why you picked the 1.35v one heh? xD The lightning did run at default votlage of 1.16 because at review there was no voltage control yet xD 1075Mhz 1.35v Air http://www.overclock.net/ati/696804-5870-lightning-overclock-voltage-fix.html
 
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OvrClkr

OvrClkr

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I cannot here the GPU fan because the CPU fan is louder.

This GPU is about 35% lighter than the 260 and about 15% smaller. The power connectors are a PITA to install because they are on the far end.

Here are some pics :

DSC01142.jpg


DSC01147.jpg


DSC01146.jpg


Going to run a few tests at higher clocks....



 
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notty22

notty22

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Maybe because I am trying to prove my point ! :) With proof and links ?
And what am I inferring? Probably the same as the author in that review, at a certain mhz, its not heat, not cooling, its not voltage, its the limitation of the transistors/silicon in that gpu.
1075Mhz 1.35v Air http://www.overclock.net/ati/69680 [...] e-fix.html
Click to expand...
Thats a great example of a diligent o/c with a 5870 He broke out a multi-meter, and contacted MSI for a BIOS update, to get that extra speed. Very cool.




 
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GoZFast

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Thats because Voltage programs were not working yet at release

My friends run theirs 5850 @ 950 for 24/7 1.20v and 1.28v 1Ghz. ... Any way, 970Mhz 1.25v is in the limit you stated 950-1Ghz xD

Keep the pics coming xD Are those 2 sound cards lol ?
 
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