AMD's Tonga 384-bit bus available but not enabled

[zMeul]

source: http://www.pcper.com/news/Graphics-Cards/AMD-Confirms-Tonga-384-bit-Memory-Bus-Not-Enabled-Any-Products

 

Reports of the upcoming card had consistently referenced the wider 384-bit bus, and tonight we are able to officially confirm that Tonga (not just Tonga XT) has been 384-bit capable all along, though this was never enabled by AMD. The reason? The company never found the right price/performance combination.

AMD's Raja Koduri confirmed Tonga's 384-bit bus tonight, and our own Ryan Shrout broke the news on Twitter

---

 

 

it's possible AMD will release another Tonga flavored GPU with the bull memory bandwidth

since they like to rebadge stuff, it's quite possible this new GPU will get in the 4xx lineup paired with GDDR5X VRAM

Edited December 5, 2015 by zMeul

[2FA]

Incoming zMeul hating on AMD post.

[niofalpha]

So Tonga has the potential to be released on 3 different generations at least?

 

Or are we getting a a 380xx or a 390-x?

[themaniac]

what exactly is the limit one the 256, 384, and 512 bit bus's, i know the limit for 128 is 2GB, is it like 256 4GB 384 6GB and so on or?

[harrynowl]

So Tonga has the potential to be released on 3 different generations at least?

 

Or are we getting a a 380xx or a 390-x?

Potentially a 3GB or 6GB version but... why bother right now.

[Glenwing]

what exactly is the limit one the 256, 384, and 512 bit bus's, i know the limit for 128 is 2GB, is it like 256 4GB 384 6GB and so on or?

 

Not sure what you mean. There are no limits. You can put 4GB on a 128-bit if you want.

[themaniac]

Not sure what you mean. There are no limits. You can put 4GB on a 128-bit if you want.

than why do people always say that 4GB are bottlenecked on the 960 because it has a 128 bit bus

[2FA]

than why do people always say that 4GB are bottlenecked on the 960 because it has a 128 bit bus

It's how effective the bus will be at handling that much VRAM.

[bcredeur97]

the launch price of the 380X compared to the 280X is interesting...

[Glenwing]

than why do people always say that 4GB are bottlenecked on the 960 because it has a 128 bit bus

 

I think because they heard someone else say it.... it doesn't really work like that.

[bobhays]

than why do people always say that 4GB are bottlenecked on the 960 because it has a 128 bit bus

Because it's 128 bit the bandwidth of the memory is lower. I think they mean the 960 in general not specifically the 4gb version.

[MMKing]

Nope, this would be the 380x reference PCB. It will be familiar if you have seen the 285 PCB.

 

Without evidence of some phantom GDDR5 memory chip with a buss width of 48 bits, i wont discuss the subject.

The reason the 280x has a buss width of 384 but only has 3GB of Vram is because of this. The 12 modules have a capacity of 256MB each, but has no fewer lanes than the more modern 512MB modules.

 

[Exhilarare]

Incoming zMeul hating on AMD post.

Seriously? @zMeul hasn't even said anything bad about AMD. He's just reporting the news.

[Kinda Bottlenecked]

Seriously? @zMeul hasn't even said anything bad about AMD. He's just reporting the news.

 

heh..... But its true, for the past month. zMeul didn't bring an sort of toxicity in his posts. Which is greatly appreciated. 

[VagabondWraith]

heh..... But its true, for the past month. zMeul didn't bring an sort of toxicity in his posts. Which is greatly appreciated.

He wants to though..... sooooo bad.

[2FA]

Seriously? @zMeul hasn't even said anything bad about AMD. He's just reporting the news.

You don't follow what's said about him too much do you. A lot of people accuse him of making AMD look bad on purpose. Hence my post.

[zMeul]

[removed]

updated source, can I have it back to tech news?!

Edited December 5, 2015 by Godlygamer23

[Godlygamer23]

updated source, can I have it back to tech news?!

Done.

[zMeul]

Done.

thanks 

[dalekphalm]

Here's the important question: Would they even be able to enable the wider bus on the 380 and 380x? Or does it also require hardware specific implementation?

 

It could be that the GPU Chip itself is capable of 384-bit width bus, but the actual cards might not have the necessary hardware installed on them to enable this.

 

Does anyone have a more intimate understanding of GPU architecture or comment on this? If so, please post sources as well if possible.

[Godlygamer23]

Here's the important question: Would they even be able to enable the wider bus on the 380 and 380x? Or does it also require hardware specific implementation?

It could be that the GPU Chip itself is capable of 384-bit width bus, but the actual cards might not have the necessary hardware installed on them to enable this.

Does anyone have a more intimate understanding of GPU architecture or comment on this? If so, please post sources as well if possible.

When a GPU is 256-bit or 384-bit, it's referring to the number of controllers present on the said GPU or at least the ones that are enabled - the memory controllers are normally 64-bit. Divide 384-bit by 64 and you get 6. Six controllers would be enabled then. That is my understanding.

[Sharkyx1]

it's quite possible this new GPU will get in the 4xx lineup paired with GDDR5X VRAM

Do you think it's likely they will use rebadges when it's supposed to be a shrink down to 14/16nm?

Honestly I didn't expect a 7950/7970 remake at 28nm because AMD probably wouldn't gain anything, and in most cases they really didn't.

[dalekphalm]

Do you think it's likely they will use rebadges when it's supposed to be a shrink down to 14/16nm?

Honestly I didn't expect a 7950/7970 remake at 28nm because AMD probably wouldn't gain anything, and in most cases they really didn't.

I'm really not sure what you mean by this?

 

7950/7970 (Tahiti) has always been 28nm.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radeon_HD_7000_Series#Chipset_table

[Sharkyx1]

I'm really not sure what you mean by this?

 

7950/7970 (Tahiti) has always been 28nm.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radeon_HD_7000_Series#Chipset_table

from 28nm to 28nm

 

Replacing a 2048 core gpu with a 2048 core gpu on the same manufacturing process.

 

I didn't expect tonga release last year when it came out either.

[dalekphalm]

from 28nm to 28nm

 

Replacing a 2048 core gpu with a 2048 core gpu on the same manufacturing process.

 

I didn't expect tonga release last year when it came out either.

Well Tonga is essentially just a revision of Tahiti. It takes the same basics (Which were excellent, and are still good to this day), improves efficiency and adds in some of the latest GPU technology. The original Tonga release came out of nowhere, and was kind of useless, because it had the 2GB VRAM, and the 280/280x already both existed. The 285 had no proper place in the market.

 

But the 380 and 380x make much more sense, since the original Tahiti core has been officially retired, and replaced the the improved upon Tonga core.