AMD’s Radeon HD 5830: A Filler Card at the Wrong Price
by Ryan Smith on February 24, 2010 12:00 AM EST- Posted in
- GPUs
Power & Temperature
Since AMD isn’t doing a reference Radeon HD 5830, non-performance data is of limited value. Even with the variety of cards among AMD’s partners, the power draw of the 5830 cards should be within a few watts of each other and vary only with the difference in their fans so long as they use a 5870 PCB. On the other hand temperature data is going to heavily depend on the cooler used, and noise data is completely useless here since it entirely depends on the cooler used.
So we have power and temperature data for you, but please keep in mind that this temperature data is really only useful as a frame of reference – retail cards could be quite dissimilar.
At idle, the power usage is just as AMD promised: it’s a hair under the 5850, by a single watt to be exact. As far as high-end cards go, this is the least power hungry among them when idling.
Under load the story is quite a bit more interesting. We know the 5830 is rated for a TDP between the 5850 and 5870 that’s much closer to the 5870, but the power draw doesn’t reflect that. Here it’s 17W over the 5850, and nearly 70W off the 5870. We’ve double checked and the card isn’t throttling (a very possible situation given the higher voltage used) so we’re not quite sure what to make of these results. The 5830 is apparently more alike the 5850 than the 5870 when it comes to power consumption, which is certainly a good thing since it means it edges out the 4870 and 4890, and is well ahead of the GTX 275.
With an eye on the fact that this temperature data is going to be heavily dependent on the cooler used, for our sample card we certainly have some interesting results. Under idle this is the coolest of our high-end cards, which is no surprise given the use of the 5870’s big cooler and the lower idle power usage of the 5830. On the other hand under load, even with the otherwise minor difference in power draw compared to the 5850 and the bigger cooler it’s 5C hotter, which is actually more in-line with what we would have expected. However it still stays below the 4800 series and the 5870, both of which get warm enough that they really have to rev up their fans.
It’ll be interesting to see just how good the vendor coolers end up being. With the relatively low load power usage, the 5830 doesn’t have to be a particularly loud card.
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Ben90 - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
I'm sorry, but your first two paragraphs is probably the stupidest thing I've read in a while. Ill admit a week isn't very much to fret over, but your post reads like: "AMD/Nvidia can launch whatever they want, whenever they want... If you don't like them releasing the HD 9870/GTX 626262 early just lose your job as a reviewer you baby"I'm glad you can write negative things in your reviews Ryan. I get tired of reading sites clearly sucking up because they got something free.
bill4 - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
First of all, this is like the flimsiest paper launch ever. He admits HES NOT EVEN SURE ITS A PAPER LAUNCH. But still complains.Second, again fuzzy memory, but I'm pretty sure SEVERAL recent AMD/Nvidia launches have been paper.
Paper launches are good. The product will be available when it's available in either case. The only difference is, how soon you get the product info. The sooner the better imo.
If a world exclusive GTX 470/480 review hit the web tomorrow, would you refuse to read it because it's a paper launch? Hell no, everything would be exactly as it is now, except you'd have more info sooner.
Spoelie - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
Paper launches are very bad because they are misleading, with no guarantee of the product actually making it too retail, or in the same configuration as the retail samples.Right until the chips are in boards and on their way to the retail store in sufficient quantities, too much can go wrong.
I remember around the X800 vs 6800 era when paper launches were at their peak (X800XT, X800XTX, X800XTX PE -nicknamed press edition-, X850XT, ... all very marginal variations of the same card) there were also X700XT reviews all over the place (like here http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2214...">http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2214... ), but the card NEVER made it to retail. Which makes the review kinda pointless. There was a X700PRO though, small comfort.
monomer - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
It looks like the 5830's are hitting retail today, if NewEgg is to be believed. $239.99 for the Bare-bones Powercolor, and $264.99 for the Sapphire which comes with COD-MW2.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a...p;cm_re=...
shiggz - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
So basically its the same price, performance, TDP as my gtx 260 I bought a year ago?I will upgrade when I can buy the first video card by either company that fits these specs.
- 20+% faster then 5870
- 250-300$
- 28nm
- max 170 watt TDP
- good fan no louder then my 260 (spend way more time reading then gaming)
I might jump in the next 6-9 months If I see a 5890 with a good non-stock fan for 275$. I don't think Nvidia will have anything in terms of price, performance, TDP in my range any time soon.
My money, My 260, and I can certainly wait longer then ATI or Nvidia can so well see who gets me first. :)
Alouette Radeon - Wednesday, March 24, 2010 - link
Your GTX 260 is on par with the HD 4870 and HD 5770. Where do you get the idea that a GTX 260 is a match to the HD 5830/4890? I call that wishful thinking at its best! LOLPaladin1211 - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
Quote:"I might jump in the next 6-9 months If I see a 5890 with a good non-stock fan for 275$. I don't think Nvidia will have anything in terms of price, performance, TDP in my range any time soon."
If Nvidia can't come out with anything in terms of price, performance, TDP in your range any time soon, what makes you think of a 5890 for $275? No less than $475 I would say, even at 28nm ^_^
AznBoi36 - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
You think you can get faster than 5870 performance with a low price and 28nm? Not to mention even 40nm yields are still pretty horrible.You're going to have to wait a lot longer than 9 months buddy. Try 2 years.
shiggz - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
I mentioned I may jump early 6-9 months from now for a good deal on a 5890. If not good deals happen I'll wait for next gen.This gen has already been delayed was planned to be released last summer/fall. Fermi2 is not 2 years away. Next gen development works in parallel not sequential. Just because this gen was late doesn't mean next gen will be. Reports from Global foundries and TSMC are that 28nm is developing well and on schedule for end of this year.
coldpower27 - Thursday, February 25, 2010 - link
Your gonna have to keep waiting then...